Legacy of Ice
by Spinosa
Summary: She is different from the others. She knows that her destiny is not with her Clan. Icepaw has a legacy of her own to create. And this is her story. Sequel to Legacy of Sun.
1. Prologue

**AN: Here's the beginning of Legacy of Ice! I'm very excited about this sequel. It takes place about a moon after SunClan finds the other Clans. And the main character will be Icepaw, daughter of Shadepelt and Frostwing. I've been planning this one for a while now, so we'll see where this goes. I've also posted the allegiance since it's been a while. Please let me know what you think of it so far!**

* * *

><p>Prologue<p>

A clawmark of a moon hovered in the night sky. The stars seemed to glow brilliantly thanks to the lack of moonlight.

"Shadepelt, are you there?" A young dark gray tom was padding through the undergrowth, ears flat against the back of his skull. Times like these made him wish he were smaller. There wasn't much undergrowth for him to hide in. A passing patrol might spot him making his way towards the border. Thankfully the only cat to spot him was his true love, Frostwing.

"Frostwing, it's good to see you!" he purred after rubbing noses with her. He always got lost in her beautiful eyes. Frostwing was so different from the other cats. And she was from StreamClan.

Their relationship was forbidden thanks to the warrior code. But that didn't stop them from meeting every other night. Shadepelt could still remember meeting her for the first time at the Gathering. She was quiet and shaky around other cats. But not around him.

"I wanted to show you something," she murmured after watching his searching gaze.

Curiosity got the better of him. Shadepelt followed her carelessly over the border. Streams trickled around them as she led the way further into StreamClan territory. Shadepelt suddenly understood why everyone had warned him not to cross the border. This could lead to danger.

Thankfully their journey didn't lead to a fight. Shadepelt's eyes widened when he saw what Frostwing was showing him.

They were standing in the middle of her camp. Streams surrounded it, protecting them from any trespassers. A huge willow tree grew near the edge of camp, hovering over it like a shadow. He could make out dens made out of brambles and bushes. But that wasn't what had caught his attention. Someone was sitting at the top of a mound of sand, chin raised high and proud. It took Shadepelt a few heartbeats to recognize the cat.

_Icekit_? The thought suddenly crossed his mind, making him realize that this was just a dream.

"Frostwing, why are you showing me this?" he demanded.

"Our kits were never going to have an easy life," she replied. Guilt clouded her voice as she turned to face him. "One of our kits will take a different path. Their future will be shadowed by our past. Nothing you do can stop them from their destiny."

Shadepelt's claws sheathed and unsheathed. His kits were all he had left of her! He wasn't about to let them leave. But seeing the look of pain in Frostwing's eyes made his heart twist with sorrow. Why did life have to be so complicated? Why couldn't she have survived?

"Take care of our kits, Shadepelt," Frostwing sighed. She rubbed her nose against his. "I will always be watching over you, and them."

_Don't go_! Shadepelt found he couldn't speak as she began to disappear. Her form melted away in the inky darkness, leaving him alone once again. _I promise I will do what I can to keep our kits safe_, he told himself. _Nothing will keep us apart as a family_.

* * *

><p><em>Allegiances<em>

_**MoonClan**_

**Leader:** Oakstar - a stern dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

**Deputy:** Poppyfoot - black she-cat with amber eyes; strong, yet caring towards her kits  
>Apprentice: Petalpaw<p>

**Medicine Cat:** Ashcloud - dark gray and lighter gray tom with amber eyes; gentle but quick to judge strangers  
>Apprentice: Bluelightning<p>

**Warriors:**

Featherstorm - patient but stern pale gray she-cat with blue eyes. Mother of Rainpaw and Bluepaw.  
>Apprentice: Fogpaw<p>

Hazelfrost - tawny colored she-cat with green eyes; mate to Redstar; careful around her kits, treats them they are from another mother

Willowflame - pale ginger she-cat with green eyes, likes to gossip about the latest news  
>Apprentice: Cloudpaw<p>

Nettlepelt - spiky-furred gray tom with yellow eyes; defiant

Russetfrost - dark ginger tom with a single white paw; proud of becoming a warrior, his pride often gets the better of him  
>Apprentice: Sunpaw<p>

Mousefang - pale brown tom with amber eyes; level-headed and good natured

Rowanfire - mottled ginger she-cat with green eyes; snippy and rude to those around her

Cinderfire - smoky gray she-cat with yellow eyes; confident in her fighting skills

Shadepelt - gray tabby tom with amber eyes; quiet, often keeps to himself  
>Apprentice: Owlpaw<p>

Raincloud - pale gray she-cat with amber eyes; cares deeply about her sibling and the Clan (12 moons)  
>Apprentice: Icepaw<p>

Goldenleaf - pale ginger she-cat with green eyes; acts like the leader of her siblings (10 Moons)

Flaretail - white tom with flecks of ginger in his fur; brave and likes to argue with his sisters (10 Moons)

Appleheart - dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes; careful about what trouble her siblings get into (10 Moons)

**Apprentices:**

Bluelightning - gray-blue tom with white paws; likes to learn new things, curious about the world around him (12 moons)

Petalpaw - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes; playful and energetic, she loves to get into trouble (8 Moons)

Sunpaw - golden tabby tom with amber eyes; calm and patient unlike his sister, he likes to listen rather than play games (8 Moons)

Owlpaw - light brown tabby tom with flecks of ginger in his fur; has amber eyes; watches the apprentices as they practice their fighting moves, he wants to be just like the warriors (8 Moons)

Icepaw - white she-cat flecked with silver, has piercing green eyes; Frostwing and Shadepelt's kit (6 Moons)

Fogpaw - gray and white tom with yellow eyes; Frostwing and Shadepelt's kit (6 Moons)

Cloudpaw - pale gray she-cat with dark amber eyes; Frostwing and Shadepelt's kit (6 Moons)

**Queens:**

Cloverfang - a clever light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, mother of Honeykit and Blazekit by Nettlepelt; nursing Foxkit, Stormkit and Heatherkit

**Elders:**

Lilytail - small dappled gray she-cat with amber eyes

Cloudpelt - pale gray, almost white tom with blue eyes

**Kits:**

Foxkit - dark ginger tom with green eyes

Stormkit - black tom with amber eyes

Heatherkit - gray she-cat with blue eyes

Honeykit - golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Blazekit - light ginger tom with black paws

_**FireClan**_

**Leader:** Flowerstar - dappled tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes  
>Apprentice: Falconpaw<p>

**Deputy:** Pinefrost - dark gray tom with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:** Lizardtail - dark tabby tom with yellow eyes. Sly and cowardly, he follows Silverstar's orders without question, even if it involves killing kits or elders.  
>Apprentice: Sunnypaw<p>

**Warriors:**

Tawnywing - light brown tabby she-cat

Spidergaze - dark tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes  
>Apprentice: Littlepaw<p>

Whitepelt - small brown tom with white patches of fur

Crispleaf - silver tabby she-cat with green eyes; mother of Hollowpaw and Smokepaw by Pinefrost

Cinderlight - ginger and white she-cat with green eyes  
>Apprentice: Maplepaw<p>

Rosestorm - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes; mother of Maplepaw, Sunnypaw, Littlepaw and Falconpaw by Whitepelt

Darkfang - black and white tom with yellow eyes; son of Nightfeather

Stormheart - dark gray tom with yellow eyes; son of Nightfeather

Beetlewing - mottled brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Owlsong - light brown she-cat with a white chest, paws and tail tip

Russetfoot - red-brown tabby tom

Blackfire- black tom with green eyes

Flamerose - black she-cat with dark ginger paws

Hollowsong - silver-dark gray she-cat with amber eyes

Smokefrost - dark gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentices:**

Maplepaw - ginger and white she-cat with green eyes

Sunnypaw - small white she-cat with pale flecks of ginger

Littlepaw - small golden brown tabby tom

Falconpaw- light brown tom with flecks of ginger in his fur

**Queens:**

Snowdrift - white she-cat with dark blue eyes, mother of Stormheart's kits, Graykit, Shrewkit and Talonkit

**Elders:**

Marshpelt - pale tabby tom with yellow eyes

Waspfang - golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Kits:**

Graykit - gray and white tom with blue eyes

Shrewkit - light gray tom with amber eyes

Talonkit - pale gray tom with amber eyes

_**StreamClan**_

**Leader:** Sandstar - ginger and white tom with amber eyes. Nervous ever since his kits were stolen, doesn't trust anyone now.

**Deputy:** Brambemist - cream and white she-cat with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:** Beechnose - pale brown she-cat with amber eyes

**Warriors:**

Brightflower - dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Crowflight - black tom with yellow eyes

Runningstream - silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
>Apprentice: Weaselpaw<p>

Tallwhisker - long-legged gray tabby tom

Mudnose - small ginger-brown she-cat with green eyes

Blossomleaf - silver she-cat with green eyes

Mosstail - pale gray she-cat with amber eyes

Duskstorm - black and white tom with amber eyes

Leafclaw - mottled ginger-brown tom with amber eyes  
>Apprentice: Sleetpaw<p>

Leopardblaze - spotted ginger tom with amber eyes  
>Apprentice: Creekpaw<p>

Dewspeck - mottled gray tom with amber eyes

Blazeleaf - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Shellfur - ginger and white she-cat with amber eyes

Salmonclaw - ginger tom with white paws and chest

**Apprentices:**

Creekpaw - silver gray she-cat with amber eyes

Sleetpaw - pale gray she-cat with streaks of black in her fur

Weaselpaw - gray and black tom with amber eyes

**Queens:**

Blossomleaf - silver she-cat with green eyes; mother of Ivykit, Swirlkit and Thistlekit by Leopardblaze

**Elders:**

Swiftstream - very pale gray, almost white she-cat; oldest cat in the valley

Scorchfoot - gray tom with darker paws

Toadheart - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes, retired early due to missing one eye

**Kits:**

Ivykit - light brown and silver spotted she-cat with green eyes

Swirlkit - tortoiseshell gray she-cat with amber eyes

Thistlekit - light brown-gray tom with amber eyes

_**SunClan**_

**Leader:** Floodstar - dark gray-blue, almost black tom with bright yellow eyes. Pride often gets the best of him; he won't admit defeat.

**Deputy:** Kestrelsong - light brown tabby she-cat with streaks of ginger in her fur. Cares deeply for her Clan's safety, she is swift and sure-footed as well.

**Medicine Cat:** Fernclaw - creamy brown she-cat with dark blue eyes. She is a former warrior and is often looked down upon because of this. Has a deep connection with StarClan.  
>Apprentice: Rabbitpaw<p>

**Warriors:**

Littleflower - small tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. Hot-headed and gets into arguments a lot.

Nightstorm - smoky gray tom with amber eyes. Arrogant and easy to anger, starts a fight without realizing it.

Stonepelt - dark gray tom with white paws. Powerful in battle and not very intelligent.

Sorrelfur - golden brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes. One of the best hunters in the Clan due to her silent pawsteps and careful judgement.  
>Apprentice: Grousepaw<p>

Gingertail - pale ginger she-cat with a darker ginger tail, mother of Heatherpaw, Leopardkit and Grousepaw by Nightstorm

Robinflight - ginger-brown she-cat with green eyes. Sister to Sorrelfur and more of a warrior than a hunter.

Umberclaw - pitch black tom with amber eyes

Toadspring - black tom with streaks of lighter fur

Risingstorm - black and white tom with amber eyes. Confident and skilled as a warrior, but sometimes lacks in his faith towards his Clanmates.  
>Apprentice: Heatherpaw<p>

Echoflower - gray and white she-cat with yellow eyes. Quiet and unsure of her abilities, she often sticks to her own schedule.

Brooksong - dark brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentices:**

Rabbitpaw - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Heatherpaw - gray-brown she-cat with amber eyes

Grousepaw - gray, brown, and ginger she-cat with amber eyes

**Queens:**

Robinflight - ginger-brown she-cat with green eyes. Sister to Sorrelfur and more of a warrior than a hunter. Expecting Stonepelt's kits.

**Elders:**

None

**Kits:**

None


	2. Chapter One

Chapter 1

Dawn stretched over the sky as Icepaw peered out of the caves of MoonClan camp. Cool newleaf air tickled her fur as a breeze picked up. She could already hear the birds singing to one another as the light woke them up. Behind her cats were beginning to wake up for their daily chores.

Three days had passed since she became an apprentice. Fogpaw and Cloudpaw were closer than ever since they became apprentices. But she had distanced herself. She wanted to focus on her training alone. Her dream was to be the best warrior she in the Clan. And she was more than thankful to have a mentor like Raincloud.

_She's already gone on a journey and stopped Silverstar_, Icepaw told herself. A few moons ago the leader of FireClan had tried taking over the other Clans. Raincloud and the new leader of FireClan had managed to stop Silverstar before that could happen. Soon after Raincloud and two other warriors were sent on a journey to find SunClan. Now SunClan lived in the forest beside MoonClan. A time of peace had settled over the valley.

"Icepaw, you're up early." Icepaw nearly leaped out of her fur when she heard Raincloud's familiar voice. She whirled around to see her mentor standing behind her, whiskers twitching in amusement. "You must be excited for your battle training."

"Actually I wanted to see the sunrise," Icepaw admitted with a duck of her head. Truthfully she loved watching the sunrise. Just before she had become an apprentice she would sneak out of the nursery just to watch the sunrise. It was her favorite time of the day. The sunrise marked a new day and a new beginning.

"Well, since you're up so early why don't you get something to eat?" Raincloud suggested. "We'll go out once you're finished." Icepaw nodded in agreement before bounding off.

She chose the smallest piece of prey she could find and ate alone. The other apprentices were still fast asleep, likely dreaming about chasing the moonlight. Icepaw could eat on in silence. It gave her time to reflect on what she would do today.

"I can't believe you're awake already." Icepaw finished washing her whiskers as she was joined shortly after by Petalpaw.

Petalpaw was older than her by three moons. The older apprentice often made a point in showing that. But for the first time, Icepaw noticed that Petalpaw was more annoyed than her usual peppy self. Her whiskers twitched in amusement when Petalpaw rolled her eyes.

"The early bird catches the prey," Icepaw purred. "Maybe Poppyfoot will actually teach you something useful today," she added as Petalpaw narrowed her eyes.

Before Petalpaw could say something in response, Icepaw rose to her paws and trotted over to Raincloud. She could feel Petalpaw's glare boring into her back. Raincloud seemed to notice it as well and looked at Petalpaw in what Icepaw guessed was surprise.

_Why would they be glaring at each other_? Icepaw guessed that that was what Raincloud wondered. The only other cat Icepaw knew would put up a fight like Petalpaw was Rowanfire. She was one warrior Icepaw made a point to avoid. And there were many reasons behind avoiding Rowanfire.

"Let's go," Raincloud murmured after giving her fur a quick shake. She stood up and led the way out of the cave, passing Cinderfire and Mousefang along the way. Guards were always kept at the cave's entrance. It was the only way in, and any trespasser would soon learn that the hard way. "Keep an eye out for any prey we could catch along the way," Raincloud added after looking over her shoulder.

Icepaw simply nodded in agreement before bounding after her. She could hear the prey rustling around in the long grass that surrounded them. Trees with gnarled looking trunks grew along the trail's edge on either side. Huge oak trees spread out here and there in parts of the vast forest. This was the best place to find fresh-kill. Prey often hid in the tall grass because it was sheltered. But it would also keep enemies hidden as well.

A shiver ran down Icepaw's spine as she remembered the fox that had invaded the territory not that long ago. Luckily Shadepelt and his apprentice, Owlpaw, were patrolling the area at the time and caught it before real trouble could be caused.

"We're here." Raincloud suddenly stopped at the clearing where training sessions were held. "Now, why don't we start with the basics," she suggested after looking down at Icepaw. "What I'm about to teach you is an easy move, that any cat could learn."

_I don't need you to take it easy on me_! Icepaw wanted to declare. She kept her mouth shut, knowing full well that Raincloud wouldn't listen to her. After all, she was just an apprentice. What did an apprentice know about fighting back? Right now she was about as useful as a mouse without a nose.

She watched as Raincloud performed a few moves that she had seen Owlpaw and Sunpaw use. Raincloud might have forgotten that she spent most of her time watching the apprentices when she was a kit. That was her way of passing the time when Cloudpaw and Fogpaw were busy chattering or playing.

Once Raincloud landed on her paws, she gave Icepaw room to practice the moves herself. Icepaw glanced at her mentor warily before dropping to a hunter's crouch. She glared at the branch that fell onto the clearing in front of her. With one push of her back legs, Icepaw leaped forward and landed on the branch, nearly snapping it in half. She whirled around once she was finished and looked at Raincloud hopefully.

"Icepaw, you need to learn some patience," Raincloud sighed with a shake of her head. "Any warrior with experience would have moved to the side and dodged your attack. And you would be hurt in the heat of battle."

Icepaw's eyes narrowed with annoyance. "But I did the move exactly like you!" she protested.

"And that's what you did wrong." Raincloud's retort made Icepaw's fur bristle slightly. "If you had listened to me on our first day of training, you would know that it's best to use the moves that come easily to you."

Anger coursed through Icepaw when she realized that her mentor was right. She had been so busy thinking of how quickly she could become a warrior that she hardly heard Raincloud that day. She held back a sigh of frustration and looked away.

"Let's try that move again. This time try adding your own style," Raincloud meowed. She seemed to notice that Icepaw was struggling to keep calm.

With a lash of her tail, Icepaw turned to face the broken branch. Dropping to a crouch, she studied the ground nearby. Raincloud watched her carefully as Icepaw judged how far she would have to jump. She leaped forward once more with her paws extended. Instead of landing on the branch that was broken, she landed nearby in a pile of churned soil.

"Now you're getting it," Raincloud purred.

"Why do I feel like a mole?" Icepaw muttered after struggling to shake off the dirt.

Amusement gleamed within Raincloud's eyes when she said that. "Let's keep going, you still have the day ahead of you."

She didn't bother saying anything to that. She was just thankful they were battle training. It was better than being stuck in the caves all day. Out here in the forest, she felt free and alive. Icepaw felt as though this was where she belonged.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So this is the beginning of LOI. Yes, there is only one point of view this time. And it's in Icepaw's point of view. It may switch from time to time, but I'm not making any promises ;) Big thanks to xXSleetstormXx and Cookies and Cream for reviewing! You guys are amazing!<strong>


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter 2

"FireClan's attacking!" Icepaw was jolted from her sleep when she heard the yowl of alarm.

She peered out of the apprentice's den moments later to see that Stormkit, Foxkit and Heatherkit were playing outside the nursery's entrance. Annoyance flared within Icepaw as she watched them from a safe distance.

Those kits were getting to be a handful. They were close to six moons old, but Oakstar held back on their ceremony. Icepaw knew that he was waiting until Petalpaw, Sunpaw and Owlpaw became warriors. She wondered why Cloverfang was letting them get away with such antics. They had already alerted half of the Clan.

"That's enough you three." Finally it took the work of Poppyfoot to stop them.

Icepaw remembered that she was kind and gentle towards kits. But she was stern to those who liked to cause trouble. From the looks of it, Poppyfoot was very annoyed with them.

"But we're bored!" Stormkit moaned. "Give us something to play with!"

Poppyfoot only rolled her eyes and cuffed Stormkit over the ears. "Why don't you play inside," she suggested. "I'm sure Cloverfang will want to play with you."

A smirk showed on her face as the kits scampered back into the nursery. Icepaw had a feeling that Cloverfang had kicked them out earlier. She was probably getting tired of listening to the kits whine about not having anything to do. So instead of putting up with them, she simply sent them outside to annoy the rest of the Clan.

"Thank you," Rowanfire sighed after smoothing down her ruffled fur. "I thought those kits would never shut up."

Poppyfoot's glare was priceless. Any other cat would have clawed Rowanfire down for her remarks. But Poppyfoot seemed to know this was how Rowanfire acted most of the time. She was rude and obnoxious towards just about everyone.

It was her attitude that kept her from getting an apprentice. Icepaw ducked her head when Rowanfire glared at the apprentice's den. She wasn't going to let this go so easily. Knowing her she would only make things worse for Poppyfoot and the rest of the Clan.

"We'll be patrolling the border today," Raincloud announced once the tension faded away.

Icepaw only narrowed her eyes before nodding in agreement. Patrolling was an everyday part of Clan life. She was all too aware of how important it was to protect the borders. Now there were three Clans that MoonClan needed to keep an eye on.

She grabbed a mouse from the fresh-kill pile and ate it quickly. Raincloud was waiting for her along with Mousefang and Cinderfire. All three of them were good friends. Icepaw could tell from the way they were chatting that it was about to get interesting. Once her whiskers were washed and cleaned, she scampered over to where Raincloud was waiting.

"We're patrolling the StreamClan border today," Raincloud explained as she led the way out of camp. StreamClan. Icepaw remembered hearing stories about the Clan that lived beside water. They were known for being able to swim and hunt fish. But their leader, Sandstar, was also known as a coward.

_He gave his territory to FireClan just because a couple of kits went missing_, she thought angrily. According to Willowflame, those kits were also his kits. That was why he had sacrificed so much for them. But that didn't help take away the reputation he had gained.

"I sure could go for a nice vole right about now," Mousefang meowed once they were out on the trail. Icepaw narrowed her eyes and remembered that they probably didn't eat. Mousefang looked like he was only joking though as Cinderfire nudged him playfully.

"You could eat an entire squirrel and still be hungry," she purred.

"Not true!" Mousefang looked at her with wide eyes.

"Of course it's true," Raincloud retorted. "Last night I saw you grabbing another mouse from the fresh-kill pile before getting back to your nest." Her eyes flashed with humor as Mousefang flattened his ears.

"It wasn't for me," he stammered. Finally Raincloud and Cinderfire turned to face him, expressions curious. "It was for... a friend."

Icepaw didn't miss the guilt in his voice. Raincloud only purred in amusement as Cinderfire cuffed him over the ears. Mousefang ducked his head in embarrassment as they continued making their way to the border.

Her fur bristled slightly when she picked up a familiar scent. The warm newleaf breeze ruffled the back of her fur as they got closer. Something about the noise of the streams trickling nearby made Icepaw wish she could step in. She had a feeling the streams were cool and refreshing right about now.

_I'm not a StreamClan cat_, she reminded herself. Most cats hated getting wet. But Icepaw found herself enjoying the streams that ran through MoonClan territory every now and than. She had only been an apprentice for a few days, but that didn't stop her from exploring every inch of MoonClan territory.

"Looks like someone's been hunting over the border," Cinderfire hissed. Icepaw's ears pricked forward.

She followed the older cat's gaze and saw that Cinderfire was right. What looked like the remains of a bird had been hidden under a prickle bush near the border's edge. Whoever hunted it was careless enough not to bury the bones.

"We'd better report this to Oakstar," Mousefang muttered.

"The last thing we need is a fight over fresh-kill," Raincloud sighed.

A shiver ran down Icepaw's spine. She knew all too well the costs of battle. Even if she had never fought in one, the stories she heard made her wish the peace among the Clans would last. So many lives had been lost during the time of Silverstar's reign. She wanted control over all of the Clans, even if it meant destroying everything they knew.

"We should still report this to Oakstar," Mousefang meowed. His voice was stern, but Icepaw could see the worry in his eyes. "We've been at peace for the last few moons, I'm surprised the Clans haven't started fighting one another," he added warily.

"Ever since SunClan has arrived the Clans have been on edge," Cinderfire pointed out. "If it does come to a fight, it will be started by them."

Anger flashed within Raincloud's eyes, but she didn't say anything. Icepaw knew she had friends in all of the Clans. Fighting them would be difficult. But it was also against the warrior code to put friendship above the Clans. Icepaw hoped that Raincloud would remember that.

They made it back to camp in silence. Tension was rising between the three of them, especially between Mousefang and Raincloud. Mousefang was a sensible cat and knew to stay away from an argument. Icepaw wasn't so sure about her mentor though.

"Anything to report?" Oakstar asked when they got back. He was sitting beside Poppyfoot, whispering something to the deputy before they arrived.

"Icepaw, why don't you help Petalpaw clean out the elder's den," Raincloud suddenly suggested.

Icepaw shot her mentor a glare before doing as she was told. She hated cleaning out the elder's den. It was the one thing about being an apprentice she hated the most. Raincloud was just looking for an excuse to get rid of her.

"Poppyfoot's taking me out for battle training later on," Petalpaw was boasting as Icepaw approached.

"Is that so?" Lilytail murmured. She sounded annoyed, making Icepaw wonder how much Petalpaw had bragged about her training so far. "Petalpaw, be a dear and get some fresh moss for us," she suddenly mewed. "I think Cloudpelt is ready to fall asleep again."

Cloudpelt was the oldest cat in the Clan. He had memories of what the valley was like even before Silverstar had been leader. Icepaw loved listening to his stories, but she could see that Lilytail was right. His milky blue eyes were half closed as the day wore on.

"That apprentice has a lot to learn before she can become a warrior," Cloudpelt finally muttered.

"You know she means well," Lilytail replied. "Icepaw, I didn't see you coming in," she added after noticing Icepaw.

She was clearing out the dried moss that Petalpaw left behind. She simply acknowledged the elder with a nod before resuming her work. The elders continued chatting about how the Clan had so many apprentices this season. Back in their day they didn't have as many apprentices.

Icepaw was thankful to get a moment of silence once she cleared out the den. Petalpaw was back shortly after with fresh wads of moss tucked under her chin. She looked proud of herself as she continued replacing the nests with the fresh moss.

_You'll never be a good warrior if you're full of pride_, Icepaw thought with a roll of her eyes. She decided not to say it out loud for Petalpaw's sake. She had already almost had a fight with the older apprentice. The last thing she needed was to stir up more trouble.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thought it was time to update this, since... you know. It's been a few days. Anyone else watch the Puppy Bowl last night? I prefer it over the Super Bowl. But I do enjoy the commercials the Super Bowl has. Big thanks to Cookies and Cream for reviewing!<strong>


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter 3

Rain began pouring down on the valley early in the morning. Icepaw shook out her already ruffled fur and grumbled in annoyance.

She didn't mind getting wet. It was the cold she hated more than anything else. Since it was still newleaf the air often got cool during storms like these. The wind that picked up didn't help make things any easier.

Her mentor seemed oblivious to the rain though. Raincloud was taking her hunting along with Owlpaw and Shadepelt. The fresh-kill pile was getting low, and hunting was a good way to pass the time when it was raining.

_I doubt the prey's gonna be out this morning_, she thought angrily.

The only prey she had caught was a mouse hiding in the undergrowth. From what it looked like the mouse was trying to keep itself dry. Icepaw almost felt sorry for it. But that didn't stop her from delivering the death blow. Her Clan needed to be fed.

She managed to catch a squirrel shortly after that was trying to run for the nearest tree. In it's moment of confusion, it fled towards her instead. Amusement coursed through Icepaw when she saw the panic in it's eyes. She killed it quickly and added it to the mouse she had caught earlier.

Once she figured she had enough, she scurried back to where Raincloud and Shadepelt were waiting. The rain had finally slowed down, but not enough for her to dry off. Annoyance flared within Icepaw when she noticed that the two mentors were whispering to one another. She buried her prey and stalked towards them, hoping the mud that now covered her coat would keep her hidden.

"...worried about them now more than ever," Shadepelt whispered. His tail was flicking from side to side. Icepaw knew that he was anxious about something. Her ears pricked forward as she listened for more. "What if they start getting suspicious?"

"Shadepelt, the moment they were born the Clan was suspicious," Raincloud murmured. "If they really do care about you than they'll understand why you didn't tell them the truth. It was for their safety as well as yours." That didn't seem to help calm him down. In fact, Shadepelt looked more nervous than ever.

"But wouldn't that make me a coward?" he demanded crossly.

"What are you doing?" Icepaw nearly leaped out of her fur when she heard Owlpaw's voice. She whirled around to see him standing behind her. His expression was full of amusement as he watched her reaction.

"Absolutely nothing!" she hissed back.

Owlpaw didn't bother saying anything else. Instead he gave the ground a wary sniff before emerging from the bush. Icepaw tried not to roll her eyes as she followed him. Way to break apart the secret meeting.

"Owlpaw, you're back early," Shadepelt remarked after realizing they were not alone.

"Icepaw, where's your fresh-kill?" Raincloud asked.

"I buried it somewhere around here," Icepaw replied. She turned towards the spot where she had buried her fresh-kill. It was now a mound of mud and dirt mixed together. Her eyes narrowed in disgust as she unearthed her fresh-kill.

_It's not that I don't hate the rain_, she reminded herself. She just couldn't stand soggy prey.

"We've got enough to feed half of the Clan," Raincloud purred.

Excitement coursed through Icepaw when she said that. Becoming a warrior meant you had to become the best hunter as well. Due to her white coat prey spotted Icepaw more easily. So to respond to that, she often covered her fur in dirt to keep herself hidden. Others may have thought it looked foolish, but look where it got her now!

She followed them back to camp, eager to get out of the rain that now soaked her fur. Raincloud and Shadepelt kept whispering to one another. They seemed oblivious to the two apprentices watching them curiously.

They returned to find the camp buzzing with activity. Icepaw and Owlpaw dropped their fresh-kill on the pile before returning to the apprentice's den. Most of the Clan was gathered around the Rockmound with Oakstar standing on the top.

"We need to do something about this!" Rowanfire spat.

"They're stealing our prey, and you're letting them get away with this!" Nettlepelt added.

Both cats were standing side-by-side. Icepaw's nose wrinkled in disgust as she watched them argue. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought they were mates. That would make a terrible combination.

"Enough!" Oakstar snapped. "Unless they have caused real harm to us or our territory, than there is nothing I can do," he added when the two warriors glared at him. "Ashcloud, have you received any messages from StarClan foretelling future battles?" he asked the medicine cat.

Icepaw didn't even notice how old Ashcloud was getting. Now she could see silver lining his already gray muzzle. By now he was beginning to loose weight, and she wondered if he was passing up on the fresh-kill Bluelightning brought him.

"StarClan has been quiet," he replied with a shake of his head. "If they did tell me anything, I would know."

Oakstar looked more frustrated than ever. He let out a sigh of annoyance before looking back at the Clan.

"I would like to consult with my senior warriors about this," Oakstar meowed. "For now I want extra guards posted at the camp's entrance." He shot Rowanfire and Nettlepelt cold looks before gathering beside the senior warriors.

"I can't believe StreamClan would do this," Fogpaw murmured.

"What did they do?" Icepaw asked. Cloudpaw stared at her in surprise until she realized that Icepaw had not been around for half of the meeting.

"More stolen prey, and this time even further in our territory," her sister explained. "Their scent was all over the bushes when Nettlepelt returned with Featherstorm and Goldenleaf. It's as if the boundaries don't even matter to them anymore!"

"Maybe something's wrong with their own territory," Icepaw suggested.

She couldn't imagine Sandstar would admit that his Clan needed help. Knowing him he would keep this a secret until the Gathering. Icepaw only hoped that it didn't lead to a war between all four Clans. She knew from stories of the past that wars could lead to devastation.

So many lives had been lost when Silverstar ruled FireClan. If Sandstar wanted a battle, she would defend her Clanmates with her life.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Here's the next chapter! Glad I got this chapter, and there's foreshadowing for the future of this story :) Thanks to Sleetstorm and Cookies and Cream for reviewing! You guys are awesome!<strong>


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter 4

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Rockmound for a Clan meeting!" Icepaw blinked open her eyes when she heard Oakstar's yowl. Beside her Fogpaw and Cloudpaw were still fast asleep. But the other apprentices had already woken up. Icepaw quickly nudged her siblings until they were both wide awake.

"Wha's going on?" Cloudpaw asked in a half-dreary voice. Her eyes widened when she realized that everyone else was awake. Without another word she dashed out of the apprentice's den, followed shortly by Fogpaw and Icepaw. Icepaw only shook her head in amusement as she watched the two.

"I know that it is early, but Ashcloud wanted me to get this ceremony done and over with," Oakstar began once everyone was gathered. Icepaw tilted her head to one side. She wondered what Oakstar meant by that. "Ashcloud, is it your wish to give up the name as a medicine cat and join the elders?"

Surprise flared within Icepaw when she realized where this was going. Everyone else started whispering to one another as Ashcloud said, "It is." Icepaw leaned forward to see that his head was lowered, almost as if he was trying to hide his shame. Bluelightning was staring at him in disbelief, while a few other cats glared at him.

_But he is getting old_, Icepaw reminded herself. _Why is everyone so upset_?

"Your Clan honors you and all of your service you have given us. I call upon StarClan to grant you many seasons of rest." Oakstar rested his tail on Ashcloud's shoulder. The former medicine cat raised his chin slightly before joining Lilytail and Cloudpelt.

"I can't believe he's an elder!" Fogpaw exclaimed as the meeting drew to an end.

"You keep forgetting that he was a medicine cat when I became a warrior," Mousefang remarked after hearing the apprentice.

Fogpaw ducked his head in embarrassment when he realized that Mousefang was right. Ashcloud had been a medicine cat for what felt like moons. Icepaw wondered if he had any regrets in the path he chose. Right now he seemed so quiet compared to the days when she was just a kit.

"Icepaw, we should go training before the day goes on," Raincloud meowed once the meeting was over.

Icepaw didn't miss the worry in Raincloud's eyes. She knew that her mentor was oddly close to the medicine cats. Bluelightning was her brother, and Ashcloud was her kin. Both had chosen the path of a medicine cat over becoming warriors.

"Okay," Icepaw mewed.

She quickly got to her paws, shooting her siblings a look before following Raincloud out of the cave. Fogpaw and Cloudpaw were never going to catch up at this point. She was out almost every day while they spent most of their time cleaning out the elder's den or hunting.

_I'm going to be the best warrior there is_, she promised. Nothing would stand in her way.

Raincloud led her to the training clearing, tail brushing against the undergrowth as she turned to face Icepaw. "I'm about to show you a difficult move, one that I was taught before I became a warrior," she explained. "Don't feel discouraged if you fail the first time," she added when Icepaw eyed her curiously.

She watched with keen interest as Raincloud performed the move with ease. Icepaw imagined that during her time as an apprentice, Raincloud had difficulty perfecting the move. She performed a back flip and swiped her sheathed paws through the air in the process. She landed on the ground shortly after, whiskers twitching with pride as she landed.

"Now you try it," Raincloud told her. Icepaw nodded and did as she was told. She used all of the strength in her back legs and tried flipping backwards. Only instead of leaping in the air, she almost landed on her back. She let out a hiss of frustration as Raincloud purred in amusement. "Like I said, it takes time and practice to perfect this move," she purred. "Try it again, this time without hurting yourself."

This time Icepaw followed Raincloud's instructions. She performed the move with little grace, but at least she landed on her paws rather than her back. Raincloud tilted her head to one side as Icepaw turned to face her.

"Did I do it?" Icepaw stopped herself short when she asked the question.

"Yes, but you still need some practice," Raincloud replied. She sounded impressed. Icepaw wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

_Guess I'll find out sooner or later_, she thought with a shrug.

Icepaw continued practicing the move throughout the day while Raincloud showed her the best way to perfect it. By the time they were finished Icepaw's shoulders were heavy with exhaustion.

Raincloud suddenly stopped what she was doing and pricked her ears forward. Icepaw stiffened as she noticed the worry gleaming within Raincloud's eyes.

"What's wrong?" Raincloud slapped her tail over Icepaw's mouth, receiving a glare from the apprentice.

"StreamClan's attacking," her mentor suddenly hissed.

Confusion swept through Icepaw as she bounded after her mentor. How could Raincloud possibly hear a battle going on? StreamClan territory wasn't even close to the training clearing. Raincloud was already a few foxlengths ahead when Icepaw heard the sound of cats screeching in defiance.

Her eyes widened in alarm. They were deeper in MoonClan territory than she originally thought. From what she could tell they were well past the holly bushes and streams that provided the border.

"Why are you doing this?" She recognized Cinderfire's voice. She peered around the corner to see that Cinderfire had pinned down a scrawny looking mottled gray tom with amber eyes.

"We need more territory!" he spat after raking his claws under her belly.

Cinderfire let out a shriek of pain as she let go of the younger cat. The opposing warrior escaped before she could recover from his attack.

Fear suddenly wormed it's way into Icepaw's belly as she joined in the fray. Even if she had some training she couldn't fight against these cats. These were older, more experienced warriors.

"Chase them to the other side!" Icepaw flinched when she recognized Hazelfrost's voice.

This wasn't a battle patrol. She could tell these cats had been caught by accident. But that didn't make this battle any better. As far as she was concerned, these cats had trespassed and stolen prey for the last time.

She launched herself at the first cat she saw. His screech of surprise sent shivers down her spine. She wasted no time in swiping a claw across his shoulder. The cat spun around and tried reaching for her nose. She dodged to the side just in time.

The older cat seemed to understand the way she was moving in a matter of heartbeats. Just as she was about to spin around and nip at the bottom of his paws, he lunged forward and pinned her to the ground. Anger surged through Icepaw as she glared at him.

"Now why would a pretty cat like you be fighting?" Disgust swelled within Icepaw.

Without warning she pushed the back of her legs with all of her strength. The tom was sent flying into a silver tabby she-cat, whose eyes widened in disbelief.

"Retreat!" Icepaw wasn't sure who had said that. Her shoulders were still trembling as she scrambled to her paws.

"Make sure they're all gone," Hazelfrost ordered once the last of the StreamClan cats disappeared. "Thank you for finding us in time," she added to Raincloud.

"Why would they suddenly attack us now?" Raincloud sighed. She shook her head in frustration as Hazelfrost flicked her tail.

"I'm not sure why they're doing this," Hazelfrost replied. "But now Oakstar will have to take actions for what they have done."

Shivers of unease ran down Icepaw's spine. This was what the Clan wanted. Fights were common among the Clans. The peace wouldn't last forever. But somehow this felt wrong. Icepaw wasn't sure why it felt wrong though.

"You fought well in your first battle," Raincloud purred after glancing at the nervous apprentice.

Embarrassment washed over Icepaw. She ducked her head as Cinderfire and Goldenleaf returned. They were both injured from the battle, but it looked as though their injuries weren't too severe. Raincloud and Hazelfrost also had wounds from the battle.

_That cat could have hurt me_, she thought angrily.

_But he didn't_, another voice told her.

"Let's go back to camp and warn Oakstar of what's going on," Hazelfrost murmured.

For once Icepaw was more than happy to get back to camp. Her mind was whirling with questions as she followed them. Why would StreamClan choose now to attack? And who was to stop them from trying and trying again? Icepaw knew one thing was certain.

This battle was far from over.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So there's the next chapter. I'm not sure what else to type, other than I'm getting the new Thor movie early. iTunes released it in HD so I've already paid for it :D Big thanks to Cookies and Cream for reviewing!<strong>


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter 5

The Clan was gathered around Oakstar as Cinderfire retold what had happened at the border. Icepaw kept fidgeting as she thought of what had happened.

All of this was because StreamClan needed more territory. She wondered if Sandstar was even aware of what was going on. Surely he wouldn't let this continue? If he knew what was going on than he would have stopped them.

"We need to do something about this!" Nettlepelt yowled once Cinderfire was finished speaking.

"Keep your voice down," Oakstar retorted. Anger gleamed within his eyes as he glared at the spiky-furred warrior. "If what you say is true, than we must speak with Sandstar about this," he concluded after a few heartbeats of uneasy silence followed.

"I think it's high time we showed them what we're capable of," Rowanfire hissed. "I'm sick and tired of them thinking they can take what they want."

The glares she received made Icepaw wish she had joined them. Rowanfire had the biggest mouth of all the cats in the Clans. She loved to pick fights with others. And Nettlepelt certainly didn't help make matters better.

She wondered how Cloverfang put up with Nettlepelt's sharp tongue all the time. Maybe she managed to figure out how to keep him calm during times like this.

"Fighting isn't going to get us anywhere," Oakstar meowed. "For now we must keep calm. I will take an escort with me to speak with Sandstar."

Icepaw felt her fur bristle with excitement and fear. Maybe he would choose her as an escort! But than again she _was_ just an apprentice. The odds of him taking an apprentices were about as high as Rowanfire getting an apprentice herself. Until she learned to control her temper that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

The meeting finally dispersed. Warriors were beginning to gather in small groups as they discussed what was going to happen next. A few cats who sided with Rowanfire and Nettlepelt sat with them. Their quiet whispers seemed to echo throughout the cave. Icepaw was beginning to wonder if they had any idea she could hear every word they were saying.

"Raincloud, I want you to come with me," Oakstar said after approaching the pale gray she-cat. Raincloud's eyes widened in surprise, but Oakstar stopped her before she could say anything else. "If I choose anyone else, Sandstar might see it as a threat. Bring Icepaw with you, this will be good experience for her," he added.

_I'm really going_? The thought sent shivers down her spine. Maybe this really was her lucky day.

Raincloud must have known that she was listening. Her ears bent back as she turned to look at Icepaw.

"Get something to eat before we go," she ordered.

She didn't bother arguing. This was her only chance to prove herself to Oakstar. Without another word she grabbed a vole from the fresh-kill pile. Since the battle it had been restocked. Cloudpaw and Petalpaw were sitting together, chattering like excited birds. Petalpaw shot Icepaw a glare as she joined them.

"What do _you_ want?" she demanded in a cold voice.

"I'm going with them," Icepaw murmured between bites.

"You're going with them?" Petalpaw stared at Icepaw in disbelief. "Why in the name of StarClan would Oakstar choose _you_?"

"Don't know," she replied with a shrug. "I guess he sees something that might be useful."

Petalpaw was about to say something else and than closed her mouth. She was already annoyed enough with Icepaw. And for some reason, Icepaw loved it. The older apprentice wanted to make a name for herself, and this wasn't helping.

Once she was finished eating, she bounded after Raincloud as Oakstar began leading the way out.

"When we get there you need to show them some respect," Raincloud explained as they started moving.

_No duh_, Icepaw thought with a roll of her eyes. She wasn't about to start an all-out war between MoonClan and StreamClan. That was just plain mousebrained.

They reached the StreamClan border in a matter of heartbeats. By now the sun was beginning to set. Icepaw's whiskers began to twitch as she picked up the scent of moisture in the air. Another storm was on it's way. She was beginning to wonder why it was raining so much.

_Did it snow this much during leafbare_? she wondered.

"MoonClan cats!" Icepaw stiffened when a ginger-brown she-cat leaped out of the bushes surrounding the border. "What are you doing at the border?" she demanded.

"We wish to speak with Sandstar," Oakstar explained with a dip of his head.

Icepaw looked at him in surprise. This she-cat was clearly hostile towards them. She couldn't help but feel agitated with how submissive Oakstar was being towards the enemy warrior.

"Crowflight, go and warn Sandstar," the she-cat suddenly ordered from over her shoulder. Icepaw narrowed her eyes and saw that three other cats were with her. All of them looked lean and hungry, like the cats that had fought them earlier.

The black tom did as he was told and ran off in the opposite direction. Icepaw watched the two remaining cats with keen interest. The ginger-brown she-cat was also watching Icepaw curiously. Her eyes widened as if she had suddenly remembered something.

"Let's go," she meowed. The tall looking tabby standing beside her rose to his paws. He wasted no time in glaring at them as they followed the two StreamClan warriors.

Icepaw was beginning to feel uneasy as she followed them. Something was going on between them as the ginger-brown she-cat started whispering. The long-legged gray tabby murmured something in agreement. Than he looked over his shoulder and glanced at Icepaw once again.

"Just remember to keep your cool," Raincloud whispered after noticing how wary Icepaw looked.

She seemed to know what was going on as well. Her eyes were narrowed into tiny slits as she kept an eye on the StreamClan cats. Icepaw suddenly wished she could understand what was going on. Maybe there was some kind of secret they were keeping.

The streams that normally ran through the territory were smaller than Icepaw was expecting. In fact she didn't see the first one until they were close to StreamClan camp. She tilted her head to one side and wondered if this was what they meant by expanding their territory.

"What happened to your streams?" Raincloud seemed to read her thoughts.

"That's for us to know and for you to find out," the ginger-brown she-cat retorted.

Raincloud and Oakstar exchanged worried looks. Clearly these cats were hiding something that meant trouble. Icepaw only wished she knew what they meant by that. If their lives really were in danger than they would need help.

The closer they got to camp, the more willow trees began to spread out across the territory. Icepaw noticed that tall chutes of reeds grew here and there. Most of them were surrounding what looked like dried up streams. Mud soon soaked the bottom of her paws as they reached what Icepaw guessed was StreamClan camp.

"We are here," the ginger-brown she-cat murmured. Her voice was dark with worry as the long-legged tabby led the way in.

Bushes and tall grass surrounded what Icepaw guessed was the camp. She peered through the bushes to see a large clearing inside. Piled up in the center of the clearing was a large mound of sand, where she guessed meetings were held. A few protective barriers were placed here and there to prove shelter for warriors and queens.

She tried taking in everything at once as Raincloud followed them. This was almost exactly like MoonClan's camp. Only it was smaller and more open. Icepaw preferred being hidden in the comforting caves than being out here.

"Oakstar, why are you here?" Sandstar demanded as soon as they were within the clearing.

Unease crawled through Icepaw when she realized they were being watched. She recognized the gray and black cat from the battle earlier today. His expression was difficult to read. But she noticed that he was staring at her in disbelief.

"I was wondering why some of your warriors have been crossing the border," Oakstar replied.

Sandstar's eyes flashed with what Icepaw guessed was anger. "You are crossing the border now," he retorted.

"With your permission of course. And we did not steal any of your prey," Oakstar snapped.

This time Sandstar flinched. Icepaw knew that Oakstar was right. Sandstar must have known what his warriors were up to.

"My warriors would never do such a thing." His voice came out in a growl.

"Sandstar, I am here to deliver a warning," Oakstar began as an uneasy silence followed. "If we catch your warriors trespassing again, we will not tolerate it."

Sandstar's fur began to bristle. "I was expecting you to say that," he hissed.

The silver tabby Icepaw had seen at the battle was staring at her as well. She ducked her head as more cats began to glare at Oakstar and Raincloud.

"Why does she look so familiar?" The silver tabby's question caught Icepaw off guard.

Sandstar noticed the question as well, but he didn't say anything. His eyes locked with Oakstar's. The tension building between them was unnerving. Finally after a few more heartbeats Sandstar looked away with his eyes narrowed in tiny slits.

"We will leave for now, but if you continue this will not be left unheard at the Gathering," Oakstar suddenly meowed.

The StreamClan leader's only reply was a grunt. Icepaw held back a sigh of frustration and followed them as they were escorted out of camp. To her dismay the silver tabby kept following them out of the clearing.

"Wait, I need to know something," she mewed as they passed a bed of reeds.

"What is it, Runningstream?" Oakstar sounded annoyed as she kept looking at Icepaw.

"Why does she look so much like Frostwing?"

Icepaw felt her blood run cold when Runningstream asked that question. She glanced at Raincloud to see if she had heard the question. A knowing look passed within her amber eyes, but it happened so quickly that nobody else noticed.

"I don't know," Raincloud replied before Oakstar could answer. He shot her an odd look before turning back to MoonClan territory.

Curiosity surged through Icepaw as Raincloud followed him. Runningstream was still watching them as she bounded after them.

_Why did she ask that_? _Who is Frostwing_? The questions would keep haunting her until the next morning. Icepaw was aware of one thing. Raincloud knew what was going on, and she was keeping it a secret from the Clan.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So here's the next chapter. Hope everyone likes it :) Thanks to Cookies and Cream and xXSleetstormXx for reviewing! You guys are awesome! :D<strong>


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter 6

"The Clan is already suspicious!"

"They don't need to know the truth."

"And keeping this a secret is going to keep them safe? I thought that was why you brought them here in the first place."

"It was her last wish. I'm only doing what she asked of me, isn't that enough?"

Icepaw leaned forward as she heard Raincloud and Shadepelt arguing. She was beginning to wonder what sort of secrets they were hiding. Clearly it had something to do with kits. Icepaw flicked her ears back and forth as she tried to understand more.

"Look, when I last saw her, she said that one of them would leave," Shadepelt sighed. "I don't want our family to be torn apart by these secrets."

"Yet you're the one who insists on not telling them," Raincloud retorted.

Shadepelt didn't even flinch. Icepaw peered around the corner of the cave to see that his eyes were narrowed into tiny slits.

"I'm doing this for their safety," he hissed. "If they found out the truth, they would always feel left out. I couldn't possibly do that to them."

"Then maybe you should have thought of that before seeing her," Raincloud snapped. Her tail flicked from side to side with irritation. "I've kept your secret for this long. So have Cinderfire and Bluelightning. But sooner or later they will find out, and when they do, they won't be so forgiving."

_What does she mean by that_? Confusion swept through Icepaw. Had a friend of Shadepelt's died? Icepaw couldn't be sure what this meant. She wished she could understand more of what was going on.

"Icepaw, what are you doing?" She flinched at the sound of Cloudpaw's voice.

She whirled around to see her sister standing there. Cloudpaw's eyes were dark with concern when she noticed who was behind Icepaw.

"Absolutely nothing," she hissed under her breath.

"What are they doing over there?" Cloudpaw's question made Icepaw stiffen with unease.

_What should I tell her_? she wondered.

Sometimes the truth hurt more than a little lie. Maybe that was why Shadepelt was keeping so many secrets. And it seemed as though Raincloud was getting tired of putting up with them. She wondered if Cinderfire and Bluelightning really did know what was going on with Shadepelt.

"I thought maybe we could go hunting together, if it's okay with our mentors of course," Cloudpaw added after a moment of silence followed.

Icepaw tried to keep herself composed as she watched her sister carefully. "That sounds like fun," she purred.

It had been some time since they spent some alone time together. Icepaw could hardly remember the last time they had played as kits. She was never very close to her siblings. Fogpaw and Cloudpaw were always the ones getting into trouble when they were kits.

"What are you two doing out here?" Icepaw was taken off guard by Raincloud's sudden appearance.

She turned to face her mentor, expression wavering slightly when she saw the anger in her eyes. "We were just wondering if you'd let us go hunting together," she mewed as innocently as she could.

"Partner hunting would provide us with more prey," Raincloud murmured. "Cloudpaw, why don't you find Willowflame and ask her to come with us," she suggested to Cloudpaw.

The smaller she-cat beamed with excitement before doing as she was told. Icepaw watched her sister as she approached Willowflame. The pale orange she-cat must have liked the idea. In a heartbeat she was on her paws and following Cloudpaw closely.

"That would be a good idea," Willowflame mewed in agreement after discussing plans with Raincloud. "We hardly ever do partner hunting."

Raincloud simply dipped her head before leading the way out of camp. The rain that had fallen the other day was finally gone. Now the undergrowth was covered in mud. Icepaw's whiskers twitched with amusement as Cloudpaw grumbled after tripping over a pebble.

"Now my pelt's never gonna get clean," she muttered.

"Quit your whining and keep your ears open," Willowflame hissed. "Listen for any prey that might be around."

Cloudpaw finally did as she was told and stopped dead in her tracks. Soon an eerie silence filled the forest. Icepaw's ears swiveled back and forth until she caught a familiar sound coming from her right. Excitement surged through her as she stalked towards the source of the noise.

Sure enough it was a mouse scuffling through the undergrowth. Unaware that it was being tracked, it kept it's paws low to the ground. Icepaw took careful step towards it. She knew to tread the ground lightly when hunting a mouse. They would feel the vibrations of her pawsteps.

Icepaw leaped forward with her claws unsheathed. The mouse was caught by surprise. Her claw managed to knock it out before she took it's life. Pride swelled within her as she returned to the group. Cloudpaw was still with Willowflame, and Raincloud looked at Icepaw with annoyance.

"We're supposed to be hunting as partners," her mentor scolded her.

"Don't be too hard on her," Willowflame purred. "At least she caught some prey. You better make sure that's buried before we go on," she added after giving the mouse a sniff.

"Thanks," Icepaw murmured halfheartedly.

She knew Willowflame was only trying to make her feel better. Raincloud was right to scold her - she should have known better. But hunting alone was more tempting than ever. Prey was abundant right now. And she was desperate to prove herself.

"There should be plenty of prey near Silver Birch," Raincloud meowed.

Both Willowflame and Cloudpaw took the lead. The Silver Birch was a popular place for hunting. There were smaller trees growing around it, providing shelter for small prey. Birds loved the small trees because they provided nesting material for their families.

Eventually Icepaw bounded after them as Raincloud went on ahead. The forest really did feel like it was alive. Birds were singing to one another. A cool breeze swept past them, causing the leaves on the bushes and trees to rustle.

_I wish it was like this all of the time_, Icepaw thought. _Than the Clans wouldn't fight over territory all the time_.

She held back a sigh of longing as they reached the Silver Birch. Her ears pricked forward when she caught sight of the tree.

It was the second biggest tree in the forest. Most of the bark had been stripped away from cold weather or the claws of many squirrels climbing it. Closer to the top of the tree it looked as though the branches were leaning towards the ground, as if the leaves themselves had become too heavy for the branches.

"See that squirrel over there?" Willowflame broke Icepaw from her thoughts. When both apprentices nodded, Willowflame flicked her tail towards Raincloud. "Why don't you try flushing it out towards us," she suggested.

Raincloud's eyes lit up at the idea. She dropped to a hunter's crouch and stalked towards the tree the squirrel sitting near. It's tail kept flickering as it nuzzled on a seed it must have found. Icepaw watched with keen interest as her mentor drew closer towards the prey.

Quick as a flash of lightning, Raincloud leaped out of the bushes. The squirrel hardly had time to react. In it's moment of panic, the squirrel suddenly fled towards Willowflame. She pounced on it before it could make an escape.

"It takes practice to keep them from knowing you're there," Raincloud meowed after burying the squirrel.

Icepaw exchanged an excited look with Cloudpaw. Even if they weren't close, it would be nice to spend time with her littermate.

For the rest of the day they continued practicing what Willowflame and Raincloud had taught them. Icepaw managed to flush out her first squirrel, but Cloudpaw missed by a whisker in killing it. The second time had ended the same way, this time with Icepaw tripping over a tree root.

She glared at the squirrel as it climbed up to a branch. It felt as though the annoying creature was mocking them.

With a hiss of frustration, she started charging after the squirrel. She didn't hear the panicked cries of her Clanmates as she scrabbled up the tree. Her movement must have startled the squirrel, because now it was running from branch to branch.

_How is it able to do that without falling_? she wondered.

The squirrel suddenly leaped onto the branch of another tree. Icepaw tried going after it, only to find an uncomfortable distance between them. She looked down and realized just how high she had climbed.

"Can you get down?" She heard Raincloud's panicked mew.

She studied the way she had gotten up. The bark was almost as smooth as the Silver Birch. How did she get this far without slipping?

_I have to dig my claws into the bark_, she reminded herself.

"I'll be fine," she promised.

With careful steps she slowly made her way back down. The bark between her claws scraped her pads as she made it to the bottom. Cloudpaw's eyes were wide with terror when Icepaw finally landed on the ground.

"Did you hurt anything?" Willowflame demanded after giving Icepaw a wary sniff.

"I'm not hurt!" Icepaw hissed. "Stop treating me like a kit!"

Willowflame looked taken aback by her words. Raincloud rested her tail on the older cat's shoulder. "Give her time, she might be in shock," she murmured.

"Maybe we should've called you Squirrelpaw instead," Cloudpaw purred.

Icepaw turned to glare at her, only to realize that Cloudpaw was trying to break the tension building between them.

"That was impressive. I've never seen a cat climb like that," Willowflame added. "You're just lucky you were able to get back down."

"Is that a bad thing?" Worry suddenly clouded Icepaw's thoughts.

It wasn't normal for cats to climb like that, was it? Why had she gone after that dumb squirrel?

Amusement gleamed within Raincloud's eyes. "Of course not," she purred. "We should get back anyways, it's getting late."

_I'm never climbing a tree again_. Icepaw glared at the tree before following them. Her muscles were heavy with exhaustion from all of that climbing. She hoped that it wouldn't last too long.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Another long chapter :D I'm getting better! And yes, that all just happened. Climbing is something most cats do. But climbing down isn't exactly easy for them. That's why they get stuck in trees so many times. Big thanks to Sleetstorm and Cookies and Cream for reviewing!<strong>


	8. Chapter Seven

_"There was a home in town, Where broken kids, the lost & found, Would come from miles around, Just to see, what love was all about, 'Cause Momma had a way of makin' things okayShe'd cook us our favorite meal, Sit and listen to how we feel, Oh, how the pain was real, How many families what the devil steal? Momma had a way of makin' things okay, In that home, We knew we were safe, To be young enough to dream, Find the faith to believe, And in that home, Love, it had no end, It's where we learned to forgive, In that home..." - That Home, Newsboys_

**This song is possibly one of my favorites from this group. A very moving and beautiful song, if you've ever heard it :)**

* * *

><p>Chapter 7<p>

There was going to be a Gathering tonight. The Clan was buzzing with excitement at the prospect of going. Icepaw listened intently to the conversations going on around camp.

Most of the Clan was worried about what Oakstar would do with Sandstar. Ever since their little encounter they had seen less StreamClan cats. But it was only a matter of time before they started crossing the boundaries again.

"Do you know who's going?" Sunpaw's question made Icepaw turn towards the other apprentices.

They were gathered in their own little group, consisting of Sunpaw, Petalpaw, Owlpaw, Fogpaw and Cloudpaw. She sat away from them, intent on finding out when the Clan was leaving.

"I wish," Petalpaw growled. "I wanna find out what Oakstar'll do with Sandstar!"

"What do you think he should do?" Fogpaw demanded.

"I bet he'll flay the old fleabag," Owlpaw retorted. "It would serve him right for breaking the peace."

Petalpaw was about to say something else when Cloudpelt padded past them. Though he was seasons older than him and losing his eyesight, his ears were sharper than ever.

"I'd better not be hearing what I think I'm hearing," he hissed. Owlpaw ducked his head in embarrassment as Cloudpelt glared at him. "If Sandstar is smart, he will back down from challenging the borders. The last thing we need is more fights breaking out."

"I agree," Lilytail murmured. "Remember what it was like when we were apprentices? The Clans rarely fought over territory."

Icepaw rolled her eyes as the elders began discussing what it was like during the old days. They often rambled on like that. She wondered how the other apprentices could stand cleaning out their dens. Thankfully she didn't have to spend that much time cleaning out their dens. That was usually left to the apprentices that were either being punished or had no time for regular training.

"Cats of MoonClan, I have decided on who will be coming to the Gathering!" The constant murmurings broke down as Oakstar jumped onto the Rockmound. Icepaw leaned forward in a heartbeat. "Raincloud, Featherstorm, Willowflame, Mousefang, Goldenleaf and Flaretail will be going." He dipped his head before jumping back off.

_He didn't choose the ones that argued_, Icepaw realized. She tried to get a good look at Rowanfire and Nettlepelt. Both cats were glaring at him, but they said nothing in response. As Icepaw had often heard from the others, those two were bad news waiting to happen.

"I guess that means we're all going," Fogpaw purred once the announcement was over. Icepaw couldn't help but grin at Petalpaw's glare. She had been dying to go. After all this Gathering would be an interesting one. "I can't wait to see the other leaders!"

"This will be our first Gathering as apprentices," Cloudpaw mewed. Her paws kneaded the ground with excitement. "I can't wait!"

She was about to say something else when a yowl sounded from the cave's entrance. Icepaw's eyes widened when she realized that it was time to leave. She exchanged a glance with Fogpaw before rushing forward. Raincloud was sitting beside Featherstorm, while Willowflame and Mousefang talked about what would happen tonight. Flaretail and Goldenleaf were busy chattering about this being their second Gathering as warriors.

"Oakstar, will you say anything about the fights?" Poppyfoot asked as he started leading the way.

"You will know when we get there," Oakstar muttered.

He sounded more annoyed than usual. Icepaw tilted her head to one side out of curiosity. Clearly something else was bothering him tonight. Normally he was more than happy to share his thoughts with his deputy. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that everyone was quieter than usual.

Normally the Clan would be buzzing with excitement the closer they got to the Ancient Oak. At least that was what Icepaw expected. She wondered if they were worried about what the Clans would say when the Gathering started.

To Icepaw's surprise, SunClan was already there. The Clan was gathered in the clearing, almost as if they were huddling together. Icepaw tried to see who was among them. She didn't know very many SunClan cats. But she did remember seeing them when they had been in the camp a few moons ago.

"Remember to keep your ears and eyes open," Featherstorm meowed. "And don't give away any secrets." She looked sternly at Fogpaw, whose ears flattened in response. Amusement surged through Icepaw as she watched them. Fogpaw wasn't known for keeping secrets.

With a flick of his tail, Oakstar led the way down the hill. The Ancient Oak towered above them the closer they got. Icepaw stared at the large tree in awe. She had always wondered how old the Ancient Oak really was. It was the tallest tree in the valley. And according to legends, it was there before the time of the Clans.

"Hi, you must be from MoonClan." Icepaw nearly leaped out of her fur when a gray-brown she-cat approached her. "Sorry, I'm Heatherpaw," she added after realizing she had startled Icepaw.

Heatherpaw... Icepaw's eyes widened when she remembered seeing this cat. At the time Heatherpaw had been a kit. Now she looked bigger and well-fed.

"I'm Icepaw," she replied after ducking her head in embarrassment. Heatherpaw let out a purr of amusement as Fogpaw and Cloudpaw joined her. "These are my siblings, Cloudpaw and Fogpaw," she added while glaring at them.

"Nice to meet you," Heatherpaw mewed with a dip of her head. "My sister, Grousepaw is over here somewhere..." Before she could finish her sentence, a mrrow of laughter erupted from the shadows. Heatherpaw let out a yowl of surprise when a gray, brown and ginger she-cat pummeled into her.

"Will you two stop acting like kits?" Both apprentices were broken apart by the sound of an irritated warrior.

"Sorry Sorrelfur," the gray, brown and ginger she-cat murmured. Icepaw assumed that this was Grousepaw. She was slightly bigger than Heatherpaw, but her body itself was slim and muscular. Icepaw made a note to herself not to underestimate this cat in battle. "She's always so grumpy during Gatherings," she added under her breath.

"Don't catch her saying that," Heatherpaw retorted. Grousepaw looked like she was ready to argue when a yowl of alarm sounded. Icepaw leaned forward to see that FireClan had arrived. She recognized Flowerstar in a heartbeat as the FireClan leader raced down the hill that led to the hollow.

She watched with interest as Flowerstar greeted a few MoonClan cats. Stories were told of how close of a bond Flowerstar had with MoonClan. Ever since they had taken her in during Silverstar's reign, she had been closer. Now she was joining Oakstar and Floodstar on the Ancient Oak.

Heartbeats seemed to pass before StreamClan finally arrived. Now the hollow seemed to be full of cats waiting for the Gathering to start. Icepaw kneaded the ground with her claws as Sandstar led the way in. She wasn't surprised to see how thin they were compared to everyone else.

"What's going on with them?" A ginger and white FireClan apprentice asked after joining them.

"Hopefully nothing too serious," Heatherpaw replied. Worry clouded her eyes as she watched them.

_How can she be worried about an enemy Clan_? Icepaw wondered. If it was up to her, she would be looking for signs of weakness in every cat here. But she knew better. Icepaw was well aware that cats would begin to wonder why she was so interested in them all of a sudden.

"Well look who's here." Icepaw stiffened when she recognized the gray and black tom from before. His eyes were narrowed with distrust as he watched them from a distance. "I wasn't expecting to see you again," he added as she glared back.

"Do you know each other?" Heatherpaw asked warily.

"Of course not!" Icepaw spat. "Why would I want to know such a foxhearted cat?"

Her remark caused the tom to bristle in outrage. "What was that?" He thrust his muzzle forward so that they were almost touching. Icepaw's eyes narrowed with anger as she readied herself for an attack.

"You heard me," she hissed. "Maybe next time you won't go fleeing back to your mentor in a battle."

"It's time for the Gathering to begin!" The tom didn't have a chance to respond. He simply glared at Icepaw and returned to his own Clan. They sat apart from the other Clans, making an avid point to show their hostility. "Who would like to speak first?" This time it was Flowerstar speaking up for the first time.

"I will," Floodstar said before anyone else could speak. "SunClan is thriving this greenleaf. We have two new apprentices, Grousepaw and Heatherpaw. They are both here tonight." Cheers of encouragement followed his words. Both apprentices ducked their heads in embarrassment.

"FireClan is doing well," Flowerstar meowed. "We have little to report, other than that the prey is keeping us well fed." She backed away as Sandstar glared at her. Icepaw didn't miss the exchange, and she suddenly wondered if they had been fighting as well.

"StreamClan is thriving as well," Sandstar began. "We too have three new apprentices: Sleetpaw, Creekpaw and Weaselpaw. Weaselpaw could only come with us tonight." This time the uneasy silence was broken with cheers of congrats. Icepaw's eyes narrowed with disgust when the gray and black tom known as Weaselpaw raised his chin.

_Weaselpaw_... I won't forget you any time soon! she thought angrily.

"One of our queens, Blossomleaf has also given birth to her kits. They are Ivykit, Swirlkit and Thistlekit." Again yowls of congrats followed his words. Icepaw noticed that he kept glaring at Oakstar, as if demanding that the younger leader say something against him.

Oakstar simply raised his chin as Sandstar backed down. "MoonClan is doing well," he began. "We have three new apprentices. Icepaw, Fogpaw and Cloudpaw are here." Icepaw flinched when Weaselpaw shot her a cold glare. She glared back as the Clans cheered on their names. "I am not finished," he added when the cheering died down. "A few days ago there was a battle close to the border. Anyone who tries to steal our prey will not be tolerated. Am I clear?"

His gaze fell upon Sandstar, who puffed out his chest. After a moment of uneasy silence, the Clans began shuffling around. It wasn't until a yowl sounded that Icepaw knew why. Her eyes widened when she spotted a black she-cat with dark ginger paws pinning down an intruder.

"Flamerose, stop!" Flowerstar's yowl stopped the young cat in her tracks. She had her claws against the intruder's neck. Flamerose backed down and released the intruder, still glaring as the brown she-cat struggled to catch her breath. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"F-Fernclaw," she replied hoarsely. Her legs were trembling before she collapsed to the ground. All at once, recognition lit within the SunClan cats' eyes. And Icepaw was desperate to find out why.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thought it was time to update. And happy Valentine's Day! I'll be spending my day watching movies and reading. Maybe baking some cookies along the way XD Big thanks to Eaglehaze and Cookies and Cream for reviewing! You guys are awesome!<strong>


	9. Chapter Eight

_"These are the things that matter in life, Living in every moment cause I can't stop the time, Tomorrow's gonna be yesterday, So I don't want to miss a thing, This is the story You're building in me..." - The Story You're Building In Me - Love & The Outcome_

**Cookies and Cream - I'm glad you're enjoying this story! I actually love Icepaw's character, 'cause it feels like she's more defined than anyone else. Kind of sad that it ended up that way XD**

**Sleetstorm - Yep, I got to see them live at Winterjam. Needless to say, it was an amazing concert. Newsboys has the best drummer of all time!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8<p>

"Fernclaw?" The SunClan cats were exchanging looks of disbelief.

"She needs help," Bluelightning meowed after approaching her. The she-cat had lost consciousness. Icepaw watched from a safe distance as cats began crowding the former missing cat. "It looks as though she's fighting sickness," he added when the medicine cat of SunClan joined him.

"You said that she was dead!" he snarled as Floodstar padded up to them.

Icepaw's tail flicked with interest as Floodstar didn't even flinch. A few more cats were beginning to join them. Now all gazes fell upon the SunClan leader. He seemed oblivious to their stares, but now he was probably used to them. SunClan had only been around for the last couple of moons.

"This is a matter for SunClan only," Floodstar announced as the other Clans started whispering to one another.

"Floodstar is right, we need to leave them for now," Oakstar murmured. He shot the other leaders a stern look. Both Flowerstar and Sandstar had been watching with keen interest. By the time he said that, Flowerstar had already turned to leave with her Clan. "Please, if you need any help, let us know," Oakstar added to Floodstar.

The dark gray-blue tom shot Oakstar a hostile glare. "The last thing we need is help from another Clan," he hissed under his breath.

Oakstar looked taken aback by Floodstar's response. Icepaw knew that Floodstar was only trying to hide his worry. From what she had heard of him, he was always like that. Trying to hide his fear by snapping at others that tried helping him.

Without another word, Oakstar led the way out of the hollow. Icepaw glanced over her shoulder to see that Raincloud was still sitting there. To her surprise, Raincloud was sitting beside a sleek-furred black tom with bright amber eyes. Part of his muzzle and belly were white, along with the tip of his tail.

"I'll see you soon," Raincloud said in a low whisper. The black and white tom dipped his head in response, almost as if he was nuzzling her affectionately.

_Are those two mooning over each other_? The thought made Icepaw's nose wrinkle in disgust. She hated the thought of being in love. It would ruin her dreams of becoming Clan leader. Queens couldn't become leader, right? _There's nothing in the warrior code that says they can't_, she reminded herself.

"What was that about?" Bluelightning seemed to catch his sister in the act. Raincloud hesitated before answering.

"It was nothing," she replied curtly. "Just our way of saying goodbye."

She simply shrugged it off before Bluelightning could speak again. The medicine cat stared at her in disbelief as she bounded ahead. Icepaw couldn't help but share his confused expression. Raincloud didn't normally act so cold towards her brother. Clearly something was off.

. . .

Icepaw was woken up shortly after she had fallen asleep. Or at least that was what it felt like.

A paw prodded her side. She held back a hiss of annoyance and tried swatting the paw away. Again the paw prodded her side, this time harder. Finally she opened an eye to see Owlpaw standing in front of her.

"We've got battle training today," he told her before she could make some kind of retort.

She had never trained with Owlpaw until now. This would be interesting. He was one of the best apprentices in the den as far as she was concerned. She knew that he was always trying to watch the warriors practice some of their fighting moves. And now she got to see just how skilled he really was.

"I'll be out in a heartbeat," she muttered when he stared at her for a few more heartbeats.

_Stupid furball_, she thought as he ran out of the cave. She was still exhausted from the Gathering the night before. But at least Raincloud had let her sleep in.

Shaking off scraps of moss from her nest, Icepaw staggered out into the larger cave. Camp was buzzing with activity as usual. Since the Gathering from last night, the Clan was asking what had happened. Icepaw noticed that most of the attention was taken away from Sandstar, for now.

Sure enough Owlpaw was waiting with Shadepelt and Raincloud. Icepaw's eyes narrowed when she noticed how worried Shadepelt looked. Raincloud shot him a stern look before looking back at Icepaw.

"We'll be trying out partner training for today," Raincloud explained as they began heading for the training clearing. "During a battle you'll find that having a partner is a good idea," she added after noticing Icepaw's nose wrinkle in disgust.

Owlpaw looked like he was sharing the same thought. He kept his eyes fixated on the path ahead of them. Icepaw was thankful he hadn't made any rude remarks. Normally he was easy to get along with compared to his sisters. But lately he had started acting more like Petalpaw.

"Right, first thing's first, we need to show you what it's like," Shadepelt meowed once they reached the training clearing. He glanced at Raincloud, who only shrugged in response.

He turned so that they were crouching side by side. In a flurry of moves they had managed to rip apart the grass and sand covering the clearing. Icepaw's eyes widened when she realized that their moves were almost in sync. Finally they stopped just at the edge of the clearing.

"Now it's your turn," Raincloud said after catching her breath.

Icepaw exchanged a wary look with Owlpaw. He didn't seem too convinced about this. But there was no point in arguing now. With a shrug, Icepaw dropped to a crouch and copied the moves Raincloud had showed her. But just as she was about to reach the other side of the clearing, she almost crashed into Owlpaw in the process. The older apprentice let out a hiss of frustration as he shoved her off.

"You need to anticipate the move your partner is going to make," Shadepelt told them. "It's going to take time to get used to each others moves, but eventually you _will_ get it." Icepaw resisted the urge to point out that Owlpaw was two moons older than her.

_By the time we figure it out he'll be a warrior_, she thought angrily.

They continued practicing throughout the day. Icepaw hated admitting that she was impressed with how skilled Owlpaw was. He at least had some patience for her, even if it wasn't a lot. He waited for her to master the art of anticipating. After what felt like an entire moon of training, she finally managed to reach the other side without crashing into him. Triumph gleamed within Icepaw's eyes when she saw how far she had gotten.

"Well done," Raincloud purred. "You're a fast learner. That will come in handy during times of hardship." She glanced at Shadepelt as he helped Owlpaw recover from the long bout of training. "Why don't we go hunting?" she suggested after a moment of silence followed.

No cat bothered arguing. Hunting was a good way to pass the time. But after what had happened last time, Icepaw was determined not to show Owlpaw how good of a climber she was.

. . .

"How did you find your way back?" Warily Fernclaw opened her eyes.

Standing in front of her were Floodstar and Rabbitpaw. Her sides still throbbed with pain as she struggled to stand. The place she was in was unfamiliar. She was surrounded by tall looking trees, and the den itself was surrounded by thick brambles.

"Where are we?" she managed to ask.

Her voice was hoarse from lack of use. How long had it been she last spoke? It felt like moons had passed since she last saw that kittypet. And escaping from the Twoleg nest was no easy feat. She imagined that the outcome could have been much worse.

"This is SunClan's new camp," Rabbitpaw explained. "We've been fixing it up for the last few moons since we got here." He glanced over his shoulder as if expecting someone else to step in.

"That doesn't answer my question," Floodstar growled.

Fernclaw held back a sigh of frustration. He had every right to demand such questions.

"I barely managed to escape the Twolegs that held me captive," she explained. "After that I had to find my own way to the valley. I ran across a few rogues that told me a group of cats had made their way through Twolegplace. I simply followed the sun as StarClan told me... and I managed to reach the valley."

By now her shoulders were trembling as she kept her gaze locked with Floodstar's. His expression was difficult to read. If Fernclaw were any younger, she would have thought that was jealousy sparking in his eyes. He wouldn't be so jealous if he knew what she really went through.

"You were a kittypet!" Floodstar spat. His pelt bristled as she finally glared at him.

"I had no choice!" she hissed back. "If I didn't let them care for me... they would have sent me further away from the valley." Her legs began to shake at the thought.

_I would have never found my Clan_, she realized.

"Fernclaw, we need you as our medicine cat," Rabbitpaw mewed. His voice was filled with worry as he kept glancing at Floodstar and his mentor. "I can't do this alone."

"You're old enough now to have a full name," Fernclaw sighed. "If I had been with you, you would already have one." Rabbitpaw's eyes widened at the words. Fernclaw ignored Floodstar's gaze and went on. "In fact, I think it's time you got your full name now," she added.

"But it's not even a half moon!" Rabbitpaw protested.

Fernclaw glared at Floodstar as he tried cutting in. "It doesn't matter. Tonight I will hold a ceremony for you," she meowed.

It was time he became a full medicine cat. By than Fernclaw could only hope the Clan would forgive her for what had happened.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well there's the eighth chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it! This was definitely fun to write :)<strong>


	10. Chapter Nine

"_Then I'll gaze upon the throne of the King frozen in my steps and all the questions that I, swore I would ask words just won't come yet so amazed at what I've seen so much more than this, old mind can hold_..." - Finally Home, MercyMe

**Sleetstorm - Yeah, it was an amazing concert! And don't worry, there will be more to come about Fernclaw and what happened to her.**

**Cookies and Cream - I'm glad you liked it. And yeah, Fernclaw will be having some difficult time adjusting. She won't be in the dark for too long though!**

**Eaglehaze - You're welcome!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 9<p>

The forest was surrounded by darkness as Icepaw followed the path ahead of her. Stars gleamed bright in the sky. Icepaw glanced around in confusion. This territory wasn't familiar to her. The valley was nowhere to be seen, much to her dismay.

_Where am I_? she wondered as she looked around warily.

She stopped short when she noticed someone standing in the middle of the path. Annoyance flared within Icepaw as she followed the strange cat. Their pelt was white as snow, and they had dark amber eyes.

"Who are you?" Icepaw demanded. The she-cat had disappeared over a hill. Icepaw rolled her eyes and bounded after her.

This could become dangerous if things went wrong. Icepaw wasn't even sure why she was following the stranger. Instinct had taken over, leaving her thoughts churning with anxiety. If this cat was an enemy, than she wasn't about to show it any time soon.

The she-cat finally stopped near the edge of a stream. A warm breeze picked up, ruffling Icepaw's fur as she caught up. The stream trickled lazily along the edge as the she-cat stared into it. There was worry gleaming within her eyes as she looked back at Icepaw.

"Look at you reflection," the she-cat suddenly mewed.

She stared at the she-cat warily before following her gaze. Why she was listening was beyond her. But what she saw next nearly made her heart skip a beat.

They looked so much alike! The only difference was the silvery flecks along Icepaw's fur. The she-cat's fur reflected next to her on the stream. And Icepaw realized in that single heartbeat why they looked so similar.

"Who are you?" she repeated herself.

"My name is Frostwing," the she-cat explained. "I have spent many moons watching over you and your siblings. And I can no longer sit here and wait."

Icepaw's legs began trembling as she stared at Frostwing in disbelief. The name sounded familiar. She had heard it before when she was in the nursery as a kit. But that was moons ago. Why the name would suddenly sound familiar made her heart sink even lower.

"Icepaw, do you know who your mother and father are?" Frostwing's question made Icepaw look down at her paws.

"No," she muttered crossly.

It was something that no cat ever talked about. When she was a kit, Icepaw would always ask the queens who her mother and father were. Now Icepaw was almost afraid to find out the truth. Surely if this cat looked like her, than she was her kin?

"I am your mother," Frostwing purred. "I have waited so long for this moment... to share with one of my kits who would understand..." Frostwing's purr broke off when she caught the anger showing in Icepaw's eyes.

"If you're my mother, than who's my father?" Icepaw demanded.

"You are not ready to hear that part of the truth," she sighed after resting her tail on Icepaw's shoulder. "In time you will figure it out for yourself, when you are ready."

Frostwing looked back at the stream once more before standing up. Icepaw was tempted to run after her, to find out more about this mysterious cat. But something kept her paws frozen to the ground. She just stared at the now empty spot.

A few heartbeats passed before the vision around Icepaw cleared. She blinked and found herself back in the apprentice's den. Fogpaw and Cloudpaw were still fast asleep. But the other apprentices had gone to their normal duties.

Carefully, Icepaw stepped out of her nest so that she wouldn't wake them. Let them sleep. When they woke up she would tell them what she had discovered. They were in for the shock of their lives when that moment came.

She spotted Raincloud quietly talking with Cinderfire and Mousefang beside the fresh-kill pile. Lilytail was sharing a mouse with Ashcloud, while Cloudpelt dozed off nearby. Rowanfire was guarding the camp with Flaretail, looking like her annoyed self.

_Just like any other day_, Icepaw thought. _Why can't my life be like theirs_? _What makes _me_ any different_?

"Icepaw, you're up early," Raincloud meowed when she approached her mentor. She didn't look surprised, only worried as Cinderfire and Mousefang left her to join a patrol. "I was going to let you and the others sleep in," she added after finishing the shrew she had taken.

"Can we... talk?" Icepaw found it difficult to speak. A lump had formed in her throat, as if someone was forcing her to stay silent.

Raincloud's eyes flashed with something other than surprise. Icepaw tilted her head to one side. But Raincloud didn't say anything. Instead she got to her paws and led the way outside of camp. Icepaw was more than relieved that Raincloud had done that.

She wasn't sure what the Clan would have said if she told them the truth.

They stopped near the Silver Birch. It was far enough away from the camp that they could talk normally. But close enough to camp that if there was an emergency they could reach it in time. Icepaw turned to face Raincloud, fur bristling slightly when she caught the confusion in her mentor's eyes.

"Icepaw, what's wrong? You've been on edge since we left the camp," she said as calmly as she could.

"Do you know who Frostwing is?" At once shock made Raincloud's eyes widen. Icepaw thought she had hurt the older cat somehow. For a few heartbeats her question was left unanswered. Than Raincloud looked at Icepaw once again before narrowing her eyes.

"Where did you hear that name?" Frustration swelled within Icepaw.

"I heard of it during a Gathering," she lied.

_At this rate she's never going to tell me_. It seemed as though Raincloud was determined to sway from the real question. Icepaw was even more determined to find out who Frostwing really was. And who her father was.

Her mentor finally looked away before answering, "Frostwing was... a warrior from StreamClan." Icepaw tried not to tremble with shock and fear. What did Raincloud mean by that? "She died... giving birth to kits at the border."

Frostwing had died. Giving birth to kits at the border. Icepaw struggled to comprehend what that meant. Why was a she-cat who was so close to giving birth, right at the border? What mousebrain of a warrior would let her go like that?

"So who was the father of those kits?" Icepaw almost wished she hadn't asked the question. Raincloud's eyes clouded over with something other than fear. It took Icepaw a few heartbeats to realize that it was sorrow.

"The father died in the battle against Silverstar." Icepaw felt shivers run down her spine.

So her father was dead. At the claws of a ruthless leader no less. Now she understood why Raincloud had been so reluctant to answer. She wondered why than she had been taken in to MoonClan. Why was she raised here when her mother was full StreamClan? None of it made any sense.

"Why don't we try going hunting?" Raincloud suddenly broke the icy silence that had followed. "Maybe we can bring a nice plump mouse to Cloverfang for her kits."

She was changing the subject. Icepaw couldn't blame her for that. Knowing the truth was a heavy burden. She wondered if Raincloud regretted keeping such a secret from the Clan. And how many others knew of the truth behind Icepaw and her siblings.

Icepaw was thankful for the change. She tried to ignore the thoughts that were churning in her mind. Questions kept coming back about Frostwing and the truth that had been kept from them. She desperately wanted to tell Fogpaw and Cloudpaw the truth.

_They aren't ready for it_, she realized. _I wasn't ready for it_.

She tried to keep her mind off of it while hunting. Prey was abundant around the Silver Birch. She made a point to avoid climbing the trees while finding squirrels and mice. Raincloud managed to even catch a blackbird before returning to their meeting place.

"You did well," Raincloud commented once they were together again.

She had managed to catch two squirrels and a couple of mice in the end. Raincloud kept her blackbird separate. Icepaw didn't miss the worry clouding her mentor's eyes.

"Maybe we should go back," Icepaw murmured.

Raincloud didn't bother arguing. Instead she picked up the blackbird and helped Icepaw carry the two mice. Icepaw grabbed the two squirrels and followed her mentor back to camp. Hunting really was a good distraction. She only wished that the distraction would last longer.

The moment they were back in camp, Icepaw found herself pacing again. Fogpaw and Cloudpaw were finally awake and cleaning out the elder's den. Icepaw narrowed her eyes when she spotted them. She wouldn't tell them until she knew they were ready. There was no point in disturbing their peaceful lives. Not when hers had already been ruined.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The secret's out. Well, part of the secret's out. If anyone can guess what Raincloud was really going to tell Icepaw, than you'll receive a Raincloud and Icepaw plushie! And trust me, this is far from over. This will likely be the longest story yet if all goes according to plan.<strong>


	11. Chapter Ten

"_Yes, God is love, but God is just, And we are separated in our darkness, So God let Him who knew no sin, To become sin to make us right with Him, Its not about religion or earning Gods forgiveness, Or magic prayers or new behavior, Its all about your heart, Hell meet you where you are, Turn from your sin and trust in Christ as Lord_..." - Love You With The Truth, Casting Crowns

**I get to see this amazing band in concert again! So looking forward to March... Yep, I'm a die-hard Crowns fan :P Deal with it!**

**Cookies and Cream - Yep, Icepaw's in for the shock of her life. Thanks for reviewing!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 10<p>

_I'm the daughter of a StreamClan cat_._ I'm nothing more than a mistake_.

Everyone was glaring at her. The secret was out. And they all blamed the fights between StreamClan and MoonClan on her. Even her littermates were glaring at her. The Clan didn't even bother explaining why they weren't getting in trouble.

"You don't deserve to live, _HalfClan_," Nettlepelt sneered.

Icepaw's stomach clenched with pain as she watched the cats approach her. Most of them seemed more than happy ripping her to shreds. Her own mentor was glaring at her with a look of hatred.

"You're nothing but a traitor!" Icepaw flinched when Rowanfire spat the words. Why were they always the ones causing problems?

"Icepaw!" She nearly leaped out of her fur when someone yowled her name. "Icepaw, wake up!"

The yowl made her blink in surprise. Heartbeats later and she found herself back in the apprentice's den. Cloudpaw was staring at her in alarm. She didn't even realize that Petalpaw and Sunpaw were in the den as well until Sunpaw made some kind of coughing noise.

"You were having a nightmare," Cloudpaw explained when Icepaw finally got to her paws.

"Did... did I say anything in my sleep?" Worry clouded Icepaw's thoughts.

If she had said something, than the secret really would be out. She could imagine the Clan would not be happy when they found out the truth. Her worry was quickly replaced with relief when Cloudpaw shook her head. Thankfully all three apprentices had only heard a few mutterings here and there.

Icepaw shook off scraps of moss and padded out of the cave. Her legs were still trembling from the shock of the dream. It had felt so real. From the chilling glares to the hostile yowls that followed. Everyone wanted her out of the Clan. But for some reason they didn't accuse Fogpaw or Cloudpaw of treachery.

She spotted Raincloud sitting with Shadepelt once she was outside the apprentice's den. Both cats looked more than worried. Icepaw's fur bristled slightly when Shadepelt looked at her anxiously. The two of them knew more than they were letting on.

Trying to ignore the two, Icepaw grabbed a shrew from the fresh-kill pile and sat alone. Her thoughts were churning with anxiety as she tried to push them away. If the Clan ever did find out, she didn't know what she would do. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

"Hey Icepaw, you look more down than usual," Cloudpaw mewed after joining her. Icepaw rolled her eyes when she noticed the mouse between Cloudpaw's paws. "Did something bad happen in your nightmare?"

She finally locked gazes with her over-worried sister. Cloudpaw had a tendency to care more than others. It was the one trait that irritated Icepaw more than anything. But she could understand why her sister was so worried.

"Look, it was just a nightmare," she sighed. "There was nothing complex about it... just another bad dream." Cloudpaw stared at her doubtfully. "I'll be fine," she added warily.

"You don't look fine," Cloudpaw mumbled.

Before she could say anything else, she was approached by Willowflame. The pale orange cat took her out for battle training, eager to get the day started. Icepaw's shoulders sagged with relief when they left. She wasn't sure how silent she could remain about the secret with Cloudpaw there.

"Icepaw, we're going out with the sunhigh patrol," Raincloud announced when she was finished speaking to Shadepelt.

"That's fine by me," she mewed as carefully as she could. Raincloud's eyes flashed with worry before she joined Poppyfoot and Featherstorm. The MoonClan deputy looked more than at home with the two she-cats. Icepaw guessed that it was hard giving up the life Poppyfoot once had as a queen.

_You don't have to worry about organizing patrols or becoming the next leader_, Icepaw thought. _But that's what I want_, _more than anything_!

She desperately wanted to be leader of a Clan. But after finding out the truth behind her parentage, she wasn't sure if that was possible. The Clan would never accept her. She was just another mistake in the eyes of StarClan.

With a sigh of frustration, Icepaw got to her paws and joined the waiting sunhigh patrol. Raincloud looked more impatient than usual. Much to Icepaw's dismay, Poppyfoot was joining them with Petalpaw at her side. The tortoiseshell's she-cat's eyes narrowed when she caught sight of Icepaw.

"We're patrolling the SunClan border this time," Poppyfoot explained as she took the lead. Icepaw couldn't help but notice that Raincloud had stiffened at the mention of SunClan. "I've already set out patrols for the StreamClan border and the FireClan border," she added as if nothing had happened.

Icepaw's tail flicked from side to side as she followed them. From what she could tell, SunClan would have recovered from the shock of Fernclaw's return. The old medicine cat had found the Gathering place. And there were tensions between her and Floodstar. Icepaw didn't miss the look of disdain flashing in Floodstar's eyes when he spoke to the medicine cat.

"I wonder how SunClan's doing since their medicine cat returned," Petalpaw mewed as if she had read Icepaw's thoughts.

"Hopefully they will accept her," Raincloud murmured. Petalpaw shot the older she-cat an odd look. "When we were with them, Floodstar blamed everything that had happened on her. He believes that she's the reason so many cats died." Understanding lit in Petalpaw's eyes.

_She may act like a mousebrain_, _but she _is_ smart_, Icepaw realized.

"It looks as though that hasn't stopped them from marking the border," Poppyfoot growled. Icepaw followed her gaze to see that she was right.

Along the ridge of the valley lay a vast forest. That part of the forest had been claimed by SunClan. And the ridge was covered by gorse and heather bushes. Icepaw's nose wrinkled when she realized that SunClan had left their stink all over the border.

"They're taking precaution," Raincloud meowed. It sounded more like she was trying to defend them. Icepaw tried not to roll her eyes at Raincloud's submissive attitude. "With the hidden messages Sandstar left, who could blame them?" she added when Poppyfoot gave her a look of surprise.

"Just the same, we better report this to Oakstar," she muttered. "The last thing we need is more fights over border rights."

With that being said, she turned and left the border in peace. Icepaw glanced over her shoulder warily. Her eyes widened when she thought she saw someone hiding within the bushes. A pair of bright amber eyes gleamed in the shadows.

Anxiety crept over Icepaw. She padded a little faster to keep up with the patrol. Petalpaw gave her a look of amusement when she noticed how nervous Icepaw was.

"What's the matter, see your own shadow?" she sneered.

"No, I saw yours," Icepaw snapped.

Petalpaw's eyes narrowed in outrage. She didn't have a chance to respond. Poppyfoot had called her forward to keep an eye on the path ahead. Icepaw smirked as the older apprentice marched past her. She always had a way of getting under Petalpaw's skin.

"One of these days she's going to shred your ears off," Raincloud muttered in a low warning.

"I'd like to see her try," Icepaw hissed. "She's so full of herself."

"Icepaw, picking fights with others isn't going to get you anywhere in your training," Raincloud told her. "If you keep this up you will never become a warrior." The edge in her tone told Icepaw there was another reason behind her not becoming a warrior.

"That's not the real reason, is it?" Icepaw shot her mentor a cold look as they came to a full stop. Poppyfoot and Petalpaw were well ahead. And Icepaw could care less. She glared at Raincloud as her mentor remained oddly silent.

"Oakstar doesn't know the truth," Raincloud replied in a softer voice. She was making sure that the others didn't hear them. "Icepaw, the Clan doesn't need to know the truth. It would only cause hurt between Clanmates. And I don't believe you would want to be the reason behind that."

Icepaw finally looked down at her paws. She knew that Raincloud was right. The last thing she wanted was to create a rift between Clanmates. A few cats had already created their own group. Rowanfire and Nettlepelt were part of their own group. Raincloud followed Featherstorm and Oakstar as if they were more than kin.

"So who is my father?" she finally asked. Raincloud looked taken aback by her question. She quickly recovered and flicked her tail across Icepaw's shoulder.

"When the right time comes, you will know," she meowed.

Confusion swept through Icepaw as Raincloud went on ahead. That wasn't much of an answer. Icepaw's claws unsheathed when she realized that she would have to find out on her own.

Fine. She would do whatever it took to find out who her father was. Or is. Now she was more determined than ever to find out the truth. Even if it meant telling everyone in the Clan.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So these last couple of chapters have kind of been fillers... the real action will begin in a couple of chapters, give or take. Please let me know what you thought of it in a review! :)<strong>


	12. Chapter Eleven

"_Take me far away now , From this broken place now, Somewhere they can't hurt me, I wanna be moved by mercy, Jesus, I can't see You, I just know I need You, Help me start a new life, Let my heart be moved by mercy_..." Moved By Mercy, Matthew West

**Sleetstorm - Yes they do, though they play a much bigger roll in this story than they did in the previous ones. And that would make for an awesome prank XD**

**Cookies and Cream - Thank you! I'm really glad you're enjoying it :) You might hate me for this chapter though...**

**And an announcement: There's a new poll up on my profile. I'm trying to decide which story will be started once ThornClan's Beginning is finished. So far I've got two ideas posted, but there are plenty more yet to be shared. Let me know what you think of them!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 11<p>

A yowl sounded from within the apprentice's den, jolting Icepaw from her sleep. Her eyes widened in shock. Owlpaw and Petalpaw were standing apart, eyes wide with terror. Sunpaw sat with Fogpaw and Cloudpaw, trying to hide his emotions while Icepaw finally got to her paws.

"What's wrong?" she demanded while trying to blink away the sleep in her eyes.

"My nest is almost frozen solid!" Petalpaw complained.

She followed the older apprentice's gaze and saw that Petalpaw was right. Half of her nest looked as though it was caked with ice. Confusion swept through Icepaw as she tried to figure out what this meant. Petalpaw slept close to her despite their constant arguments. Had something happened during the night?

_It's the middle of greenleaf_, Icepaw thought._ Ice shouldn't be covering their nests_.

"We'll get you some fresh moss to sleep in tomorrow," Sunpaw muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"No, I'm not sleeping in that," Petalpaw spat. "Someone is going to fetch me some fresh moss now."

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Icepaw. Flattening her ears in disgust, Icepaw only barely managed to keep down the pent up rage building within her. Petalpaw was a big mouthed mousebrain. She made Rowanfire and Nettlepelt combined look good.

"Fine, I'll get your stupid moss!" Icepaw hissed.

_And maybe I'll put fire ants in it as well_, she added silently.

"Icepaw don't," Cloudpaw began to protest, but Icepaw shot her a stern look.

"I'll go with her," Fogpaw sighed. "No point in getting back to sleep now." He glared at Petalpaw mutinously.

The tortoiseshell she-cat only huffed out her chest and glared back.

Once they were outside the apprentice's den, the tension melted away almost instantly. Icepaw's shoulders heaved with relief as she followed Fogpaw. Petalpaw was more annoying than a flock of birds scaring away all of the prey.

But what she said did make Icepaw worried. Her nest shouldn't be frozen like that. It was a shock to all of the apprentices that it had happened. And it couldn't have happened a worse time.

"Foxdung, Rowanfire's on guard duty!" Fogpaw hissed.

"We can pass her easily," Icepaw whispered. "Just follow my lead."

Fogpaw shot her a curious look as Icepaw padded over to a spot that was blocked by stone. She glanced back at Rowanfire warily before pushing aside some of the heavier rocks. Soon a hole about the size of a rabbit's burrow opened up.

"How long has this been here?" Fogpaw's question made Icepaw flinch.

She had discovered this secret exit moons before becoming an apprentice. It was a good way of getting out of camp when she needed time to think. Only problem was once they were full grown, there was no way through. For now though it would do.

"Just don't tell anyone about this," she murmured once the escape was covered again. "You won't believe how long it took me to find it."

"Why was Petalpaw's nest covered in ice?" Icepaw rolled her eyes as Fogpaw continued asking questions. "It doesn't make any sense."

"Maybe if you kept your mouth shut, we'd find out," Icepaw finally retorted. She almost regretted her words when his eyes clouded over with hurt. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "Sometimes I just wish I could pluck off Petalpaw's fur..."

"Don't we all."

Icepaw held back a purr of amusement. Soon they reached the logs that were covered in moss. Icepaw tried to keep calm as they began collecting as much of it as they could.

Her thoughts were so wrapped up on what had happened that she had almost forgotten her nightmares. Most of her dreams were of finding out who her father was. Since finding out who Frostwing was, Icepaw was more determined than ever to figure out who her father was.

So far she didn't come up with an answer.

"StarClan that's cold!" Icepaw jumped when she heard Fogpaw yelp in surprise. She glanced at him in concern when she noticed that he was shivering. "Your fur is... cold as ice," he stammered. "H-how is that p-possible?"

She looked down at the ground, suddenly realizing why Petalpaw's nest had been frozen.

_I'm the one that did it_! she thought. But why would something like this suddenly happen? Did it have something to do with the discover she had made?

"We should probably get back," Fogpaw murmured after recovering.

An uneasy silence followed as Icepaw padded after him. The moss they collected was being carried by him. Icepaw was afraid that if she touched it, the moss would freeze. True it would serve Petalpaw right, but that would only make her seem more suspicious.

Rowanfire had thankfully left her guard duties by the time they returned. The sun was slowly rising, making their journey slightly easier. Icepaw kept glancing over her shoulder, half expecting someone to accuse her of being different. Of causing the trouble within the Clan.

"Here, are you happy now?" Fogpaw dropped the ball of moss on the ground.

Petalpaw was washing herself when they approached. By now all of the apprentices were either talking to one another or eating.

"I'd be happier if you rolled it out for me," Petalpaw chimed.

With another roll of her eyes, Icepaw marched past the apprentice and tossed out the old, still frozen moss. Icepaw felt a twinge of fear grow within her.

What if the ice never melted? What if she accidentally froze someone? She couldn't exactly hide this secret forever. Keeping the truth about her mother was difficult enough. And the Clan would just find another reason to kick her out.

"They won't find out." Fogpaw's voice came close to her ears. She turned to see him standing behind her, eyes dark with concern.

"How do you know?" Icepaw demanded. "I can't be keeping so many secrets at once..." She broke off and looked down at her paws once again.

"Maybe Ashcloud will know something, or Lilytail and Cloudpelt. It doesn't hurt to ask them," he murmured.

She closed her eyes as she thought of what he said. She knew that he was right. But part of her wanted to blame this all on StarClan. That they could have stopped this from happening somehow. There were some things that StarClan had no control over.

_And I'm one of them_.

Finally she opened her eyes and nodded to Fogpaw. Why her brother suddenly started caring was beyond her. Normally he would spend all of his time with Cloudpaw. Now it seemed as though everything was different. Somehow they were closer than ever.

They made their way to the elder's den in a matter of heartbeats. Luckily Cloudpelt was already awake. Icepaw glanced over her shoulder to see that Raincloud was watching them. She sent a silent prayer to StarClan that Raincloud wouldn't suddenly join them.

"What are you younglings doing over here?" Cloudpelt asked when he noticed their presence.

"Cloudpelt, do you know of any cats with special powers?" Fogpaw's question made Icepaw flinch.

She was nowhere near special. If anything, she was just another mistake. A forbidden apprentice that should never have been born. But she couldn't say that out loud.

Cloudpelt's eyes clouded over as he thought of what to say.

"I've heard stories of them, yes," he rasped. "Many, many seasons ago... cats were born with great power... some used their power for good, while others used their power for evil."

Icepaw exchanged a wary glance with Fogpaw. "How did you find out about this?" she asked.

"The elders would tell me stories of this when I was a kit," he explained. "These cats were banished from the Clans because of the wars they would start. They haven't been seen since than."

_So now I really do have a reason to leave_, Icepaw thought bitterly. The Clan would never accept her if they found out the truth. Even if she didn't have these stupid powers they would never accept her. She was too different from the rest. And different was a bad thing.

"Thanks for sharing with us," Fogpaw meowed with a dip of his head.

The two of them backed away as Lilytail emerged from the elder's den. She looked at them in confusion before whispering something to Cloudpelt.

"I guess that's it than," Icepaw sighed.

"What do you mean?" Fogpaw looked at her warily as she locked gazes with him.

"I'm leaving." Fogpaw's eyes widened in disbelief. "I don't belong here... I never have, and now... if I stay, I could destroy the Clan from within. I don't want to be that apprentice."

"But what about becoming warriors together?" Fogpaw's question only made Icepaw's stomach clench with guilt. Then she pushed it aside, reminding herself that at one time they had never been close.

"Since when did you ever start caring?" she demanded. "All you and Cloudpaw ever do is chatter on like squirrels. You never even noticed me when we were kits!"

Fogpaw's eyes flashed with hurt. In that heartbeat, Icepaw almost wished she could take back those words. But she needed to say what her heart was telling her. That this was not her home. Soon she would be far away from the Clans, and never return.

She needed to break the bond that was keeping her here.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

With that, she pushed her way past him, ignoring the stares of surprise that followed. No cat even tried to stop her as she left the cave. Oakstar was too busy discussing future plans in case there was another attack. Most of the Clan was gathered around him, listening intently to what might happen.

She glanced over her shoulder one last time before disappearing into the undergrowth. This was her last goodbye to MoonClan. These cats wouldn't miss her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So yeah, that all just happened. More to be explained next chapter!<strong>


	13. Chapter Twelve

"_You're always trying, to convince me, To buy the lies you're selling, But I refuse to, be the victim, I refuse to drink your poison, C-mon, bring your best shot on, Cause I am standing strong, I know who I am, and where I'm going, I made my choice now it's all over, I will fight till the day that I die, It's engraved in my soul, I sing Hallelujah, I'm alive to tell the whole world, I've been raised from the dead, I sing Hallelujah_..." - Hallelujah, Everfound

**Cookies and Cream - oh don't worry, I've got lots of plans for Icepaw :P**

* * *

><p>Chapter 12<p>

"What in the name of StarClan are you doing?" Icepaw flinched when she heard Raincloud's yowl. She was her first apprentice. She couldn't blame Raincloud for trying to stop her from making a life-changing decision. This was what she wanted. And nothing would stand in her way. "You're running away from everything you've ever known!" Finally Icepaw stopped at those words. She whirled around to face the pale gray she-cat, anger gleaming in her bright amber eyes.

"I don't care!" she spat. "I'm done being treated differently... just because my mother is from StreamClan." Raincloud didn't even flinch when Icepaw spoke as harshly as she could. "I've finally found out why I never fit in with the Clan. It's time I followed my own path."

Raincloud suddenly raised a paw, as if to try and stop Icepaw. Than she stopped short and sighed in frustration.

"Icepaw, you can't leave," she murmured. "Your family is here... in MoonClan."

"No." Icepaw turned around before Raincloud could say anything else. She tried to push aside the haunted look in her former mentor's eyes.

_I need to figure out what my _real_ destiny is_, she thought. Nothing would stand in her way as she bounded ahead.

Ferns whipped past her muzzle as she pushed through the undergrowth. She had already passed the FireClan border. Ahead lay StreamClan territory, and beyond that, the unknown. Icepaw wasn't even sure where her paws would take her at this point.

The sun provided little warmth when she stepped out of the grass and ferns that towered over her. Few trees were growing in the marshy area she had reached. She spotted a frog hopping into the water out of the corner of her eye.

Holding back a sigh, Icepaw touched the water with her paws. Her eyes widened in disbelief when the water under her paws froze solid. Just where the frog had jumped there was an icy patch. She looked down at her reflection for the first time since her dream with Frostwing.

_I really do look just like her_, she realized. Minus the silver flecks that dappled the back of her pelt. The tips of her ears were silver as well. She wondered if her father was silver gray. Maybe that was where those markings had come from.

"Hey!" Icepaw's fur stood on end. She looked up to see a large dark orange cat staring at her from the other side of the marsh. "You look a little lost... don't you know that this is Clan territory?"

A rogue from the looks of it. Or just a passing loner. Icepaw had never seen one until now. She knew from the stories that they were dangerous.

"Then why are you here?" she retorted.

"I'm just passing through," he explained. "Gotta meet with the others tonight."

This time Icepaw's eyes narrowed with interest. What did he mean by that?

Without thinking she bounded over to him, not even slipping on the path of ice she had created. The tom's eyes widened when he noticed for the first time that the marsh had almost frozen over completely. He acknowledged Icepaw with a faint nod.

"I suppose you'll be coming along?" Icepaw's whiskers twitched, but she said nothing.

Instead she watched warily as he padded ahead. She noticed for the first time how long his fur was. The end of his tail was even longer, with a feathery plume that waved in the breeze. Icepaw was beginning to wonder how such a dainty looking cat could possibly survive out here.

"I don't spend most of my time out here," he meowed as if he had read her thoughts. "During leafbare I stay with the Nofurs. I can't stand the cold weather."

_Nofurs_? _He must mean Twolegs_, Icepaw guessed.

"You don't talk much, do you?" His question made Icepaw narrow her eyes. "Name's Bruce, by the way," he added after shrugging the glare off.

They stopped further away from StreamClan territory. She tried to get a better idea of where they were.

Tall pines towered above them. Needles covered the ground, providing a soft barrier against the hard soil. Icepaw realized that these cats had met together before. A few spots that looked as though they had been used were lined throughout the area.

"Bruce, it's good to see you again." A tortoiseshell she-cat with patches of white mixed in her fur stepped out of the shadows. "I see you've brought a friend this time. Who is she?" The she-cat's eyes narrowed when she noticed Icepaw for the first time.

"Just call me Ice," Icepaw replied.

"I think a better name for you would be Frost, or Frozen," Bruce meowed.

Icepaw stiffened at the mention of frost. It reminded her all too well of Frostwing.

"Looks like you hit a sore spot there," the she-cat sneered.

"Well you can hardly blame the poor kit. Just wait and see what she can do to the water!" This time Icepaw stared at Bruce in disbelief.

_I shouldn't trust these cats_, she realized. If she ran now they would likely chase her and kill her. Staying was the only option she had. Besides, it's not like they were here to cause trouble in the Clans, right?

"Where are the others?" Bruce asked.

"They should be here soon," the she-cat replied. "My name's Thalia by the way."

That was a strange name. Icepaw looked down at her paws and wondered where these cats got these names. Sounded like it should belong to a Twoleg or something.

Heartbeats seemed to pass before another cat emerged from the shadows. Icepaw nearly leaped out of her fur when she heard the pine needles crunching under their paws. A pair of green eyes gleamed through the darkness, sending shivers down Icepaw's spine.

"Good, you're here," the stranger purred. Black and silver fur covered their body. Icepaw stepped back beside Bruce as she approached them. Behind her was a younger looking pale brown she-cat with amber eyes. "Who is this?" She glanced at Icepaw curiously.

"Ice," Bruce replied before Icepaw could speak up. She glared at him, but she held her tongue.

These cats were dangerous. Powerful muscles rippled beneath their fur, showing just how skilled they were at fighting.

"Young one, you look just like a Clan cat," the black and silver she-cat meowed. "We could always use more muscles."

Relief washed over Icepaw when she let go of the subject. She wasn't sure how she would explain where she had come from. Bruce had already seen her at the marsh, freezing it with the touch of her paws.

"What's your name?" Icepaw asked warily.

The she-cat's eyes flashed with what Icepaw thought was annoyance. Or anger. One of those two emotions. Icepaw wasn't entirely sure.

"Nightfeather," she replied in a voice that was icy-calm. "And my friend here is Dawnpaw."

_Clan names._.. _why do they sound so familiar_? Icepaw closed her eyes and tried to recall the tales told by elders. But try as she might, she couldn't find anything. Her mind went blank as Nightfeather brushed her tail across her shoulder.

"Nightfeather, you should see what this cat can do!" Bruce exclaimed.

Icepaw shot him a look of dread. Nightfeather's eyes lit with interest as he nudged Icepaw.

"And what exactly can this cat do?" Nightfeather asked.

"Is there a stream nearby?" Bruce looked around as if expecting someone to answer him. Thalia narrowed her eyes and got to her paws.

"If you want to cross the boundaries there is," she hissed. "But than again that is why we're here, isn't it?"

Nightfeather let out a purr of approval before standing up as well. "Yes, that is the reason we are here," she explained. "We are here to take back what rightfully belongs to us."

It took everything not to glare at the older cat. If she broke character now, Nightfeather would see right through her. Right now she needed to act as though she was part of this group. As if she wanted to take back what rightfully was hers.

"For too long the Clans have ruled this valley," Nightfeather continued. "And it's time we took it back!"

Bruce and Thalia yowled in agreement. Icepaw noticed that Dawnpaw remained oddly silent. Her expression was difficult to read, but Icepaw had a feeling that Dawnpaw wasn't entirely excited about this plan.

These cats were going to get themselves killed. The Clans outnumbered them so badly that it was almost laughable. And Icepaw was caught in the middle of it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So yeah, that all just happened. Nightfeather is back, and so is Dawnpaw. But whose side is Dawnpaw really on? You'll find out soon enough :D<strong>


	14. Chapter Thirteen

"_Let love explode and bring the dead to life, A love so bold, To see a revolution somehow, Let love explode and bring the dead to life, A love so bold, To see a revolution somehow, Now I'm lost in Your freedom, In this world I'll overcome, My God's not dead, He's surely alive, He's living on the inside, Roaring like a lion_..." God's Not Dead (Like a Lion), Newsboys

**Is anyone else as excited about this movie as I am? I seriously am looking forward to it coming out! :D**

**Willowdream of ForestClan - If you've read the first book you'll know why ;) And the rogues really do have better knowledge of Icepaw's powers than the Clans. More will be explained later on :)**

**Cookies and Cream - XD So very true. Icepaw would get herself caught in this mess. Only time will tell if she can get out of it.**

**Sleetstorm - Yeah, Nightfeather isn't one to give up so easily. She's definitely one of my favorite villains, next to Silverstar of course :D**

* * *

><p>Chapter 13<p>

They were near a stream after the meeting was over. Nightfeather and Thalia had led the small group to it. Icepaw blinked in surprise as she wondered if this was the same stream that ran through StreamClan territory. She spotted a school of minnows swimming past them. They seemed oblivious to the hunters that watched from above. But the moment she let her shadow show, the minnows darted for the safety of any rocks or pebbles in the stream.

"Now what exactly can this cat do?" Nightfeather asked.

Bruce sat beside Icepaw, while Dawnpaw sat farther away. Her tail was wrapped neatly around her paws as she observed them. If she had stayed in her Clan she would be a warrior by now. Icepaw was beginning to wonder why she had followed Nightfeather in the first place.

"Show them what you can do!" Bruce mewed in excitement.

Icepaw tried not to roll her eyes. If she was going to pull through this than she would have to do as she was told. Holding back a sigh of frustration, she touched the water with her paw. In less than a heartbeat, the area she touched began to freeze over.

Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she realized that she had frozen the minnows. Nightfeather's eyes brightened with new interest. Icepaw looked back at her and felt a shiver run down her spine. She knew what that look meant. These cats were going to use her, if possible.

"So you can freeze things with your paws," Nightfeather meowed, sounding more than impressed. "I wonder, if it would work on a cat, or anyone else for that matter." She glanced at Dawnpaw, who stiffened at the look. "Bring me some fresh-kill... alive preferably," she ordered.

The pale brown she-cat did as she was told. An uncomfortable silence fell upon the small group in a matter of heartbeats. Icepaw looked down at the ground as she thought of what might happen next. This cat was bent on destroying the Clans. All because her sister had tried taking over the Clans.

_This is the cat that elders used to tell us about_, Icepaw realized. Nightfeather was... _is_ Silverstar's deputy and sister. Now Icepaw understood why she had been so afraid before. Nightfeather had already gathered a group of followers who would listen to her every word. Though the group was small, it was only a matter of time before she gained more followers.

Moments later and Dawnpaw returned. A robin was thrashing in her jaws as she dropped it to the ground. It tried flapping it's wings to get away, but she held it down with a paw. Nightfeather's whiskers twitched in amusement as she watched the struggling creature.

"See if you can freeze this little creature," she crowed.

She stared at Nightfeather warily before doing as she was told. Every part of her was screaming that this was wrong. Prey was killed to be eaten, not treated so cruelly. She closed her eyes and touched the robin's wing with her paw. Her eyes widened when the tiny bird stopped moving.

"Impressive," Nightfeather purred. "I've never seen a cat willing enough to do that... or able to do that as well." She paused and looked at Icepaw. Another shiver ran down Icepaw's spine. "How long have you had this ability?"

"I-It only just showed up a few days ago," Icepaw explained.

"Fascinating... I've heard of cats born with powers, but I always thought it was just a myth," Thalia murmured. "I wonder if there are others with powers like this?" Before she could speak again, Nightfeather suddenly swiped her claws across her face.

Thalia staggered back in surprise, eyes wide with terror. A fresh wound opened up over her right eye. Icepaw resisted the urge to glare at Nightfeather. Why she suddenly attacked Thalia was beyond her. These cats clearly knew who the leader was.

"The real question is whether or not we use these powers against the Clan." Fear surged within Icepaw when she said that. Nightfeather's gaze fell upon her once more. "I want you to join a Clan. You are about the age of an apprentice, I'm sure someone will take you in. Perhaps StreamClan, or MoonClan."

_The last thing I need is to join MoonClan_, Icepaw told herself. But joining StreamClan was an option she would rather avoid. Knowing that she was about to do something against her own will made her almost regret leaving MoonClan.

"At the quarter moon, you will meet with one of us to gather intel on the Clan," Nightfeather went on. "After that, we will decide when to strike." Icepaw's eyes widened when she heard the malice in her voice.

_I can't let you get away with this_! Icepaw's thoughts were churning with anxiety.

"Go now, before the sun rises," Nightfeather ordered. "We'll meet with you at the meeting spot at the next quarter moon."

"And if I refuse?" Icepaw was surprised by how quiet her voice was. Nightfeather's eyes narrowed into tiny slits.

"That would be unwise," she replied in a low growl.

Icepaw held her gaze before finally looking away. That was it than. Join or die. Icepaw was pretty sure she would have rather died. But at this point she didn't have much of a choice. Instead she bowed her head and started moving towards StreamClan's territory.

She looked over her shoulders at the sound of pawsteps approaching from behind. Bruce was following her, eyes dark with concern when he finally reached her.

"Hey, I thought you could use some company," he explained. "That Nightfeather sure is something, isn't she? She promised us more hunting territory if we can help her out. She even saved Thalia from the Nofurs a few moons ago." Icepaw rolled her eyes at Bruce's naiive nature. He didn't know what Nightfeather had done in her past. And maybe it was better for his own sake that he didn't know. "I really hope that you can join us," he added in a softer tone.

Finally Icepaw whipped around to face the jabbering tom. She could easily freeze him right there on the spot. But something kept her from doing so. This cat didn't know any better. She couldn't blame him for being so happy. If what Nightfeather had promised him was true, than he had every right to be happy.

"Thank you, for introducing me to them." The words felt hollow on her tongue. "You should probably go now. If they catch you here, they'll kill you."

Hurt clouded Bruce's eyes for the smallest heartbeat. "But won't they try killing you?" he asked.

"I'd like to see them try," Icepaw muttered. "I'll be fine," she added more carefully.

With those final words, she turned back towards StreamClan's territory. She knew that they would want to know why she was in enemy territory. After all they had seen her when Oakstar and Raincloud payed StreamClan a visit. Silently she prayed that everything would work out in the end.

Reeds began to replace the tall grass that once towered above her. Icepaw noticed for the first time that this area was just as marshy as the one where she had first met Bruce. Cattails and other water plants grew here and there. Willow trees grew near the edge of the water, their low branches dangling close to the ground.

Icepaw was about to take another step forward when something barreled into her. She let out a hiss of surprise as the attacker pinned her to the ground. Without another word she pushed the attacker off with her back paws. The attacker hardly felt any pain as they were thrown across the clearing.

"What's a MoonClan cat doing in our territory?" Before the stranger could attack again, someone demanded the question. "Hold your ground, Weaselpaw!" The cat that had spoken up was standing beside Icepaw's attacker. Her eyes widened when she recognized the gray and black apprentice. Weaselpaw's lips were curled with anger and frustration.

"We shouldn't even bother questioning why she's here," Weaselpaw hissed. "She's just another intruder that needs to be-" He was stopped short by a cuff over the ears. He shot the silver tabby she-cat a cold look.

"I'm sorry for intruding," Icepaw murmured with a dip of her head. "I... I was kind of hoping I could speak with Sandstar."

"I bet he'd rather-" Weaselpaw was cut off again by the silver tabby. Amusement coursed through Icepaw as she watched them.

_He's a big-mouthed apprentice_, _but she puts him in his place_, she thought. That's what a mentor was supposed to do. Keep an eye on their apprentice and teach them some respect. It seemed as though Weaselpaw was determined to defy all of that.

"We will take you, but that is as far as we will help," the silver tabby meowed. "Try anything funny, and I'll personally flay you."

Icepaw felt her shoulders sag with relief. She really hoped that Sandstar would understand her situation. And that this Clan would somehow accept her. Otherwise she really had no other place to go.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So yeah, not much time with the rogues, but that's to be expected for things to continue. And don't worry, Icepaw isn't going to be an apprentice for too long. I'm really excited about where this story is going :D<strong>


	15. Chapter Fourteen

"_If I sing but don't have love, I waste my breath with every song, I bring an empty voice, a hollow noise, If I speak with a silver tongue, Convince a crowd but don't have love, I leave a bitter taste with every word I say, So let my life be the proof, The proof of Your love, Let my love look like You and what You're made of, How You lived, how You died, Love is sacrifice, So let my life be the proof, The proof of Your love_..." - The Proof Of Your Love, For KING and COUNTRY

**Eaglehaze - There are many reasons she won't go back to MoonClan. She just left them because she never felt like she fit in. More will be explained in the next few chapters.**

**Cookies and Cream - Well they certainly won't be happy. Shadepelt especially, but that's for another chapter ;)**

**imiwonna - I'm glad you're enjoying this story. Is this fast enough for you?**

* * *

><p>Chapter 14<p>

Cats were gathered around the small clearing when the silver tabby returned. Unease crawled through Icepaw as she felt their stares burning through her. Curious, almost angry looks bore through her. She didn't blame them for their anger. She was an intruder after all.

"Runningstream, why have you brought this MoonClan cat here?" Icepaw recognized Sandstar's voice in a heartbeat.

The ginger and white leader had peered out of his den once he heard the commotion. His eyes narrowed into slits when he noticed Icepaw standing there. Runningstream quickly explained why they had brought Icepaw to camp in the first place. His expression didn't relax as she stepped aside to let him speak.

"What do you have to say?" he demanded.

"I was hoping that I could... join your Clan," Icepaw explained after taking a deep breath.

"A MoonClan cat? Joining our Clan?" She resisted the urge to glare at whoever said that.

Sandstar exchanged a surprised look with Runningstream. Her eyes were still dark with worry as she sat beside a creamy white she-cat. Icepaw recognized her as Bramblemist, the StreamClan's deputy.

"Wait, who does this cat remind you of?" Runningstream suddenly asked.

"She looks like Frostwing!" a silver she-cat with green eyes gasped.

A mottled gray tom with amber eyes took a step forward. Icepaw's ears flattened instinctively as he eyed her warily. Heartbeats of silence seemed to fill the clearing. Icepaw could hear the streams running by around them.

"You do look like my sister," he finally admitted. "Same amber eyes and white fur."

"Frostwing was about to have kits when she died," Bramblemist added. "What if someone else had found the kits when they were born?"

Icepaw began to feel more uncomfortable than ever. Her mother had died giving birth to her kits. That didn't explain how they ended up in MoonClan. Unless maybe the father really was in MoonClan somewhere. The anger Icepaw had felt earlier suddenly returned.

_Why did they keep that secret_? she wondered. _We would have been able to keep it a secret_. _They should have trusted us_.

"Let me discuss this with my senior warriors," Sandstar suddenly meowed. "I must decide what to do with you." His eyes fell upon Icepaw, who shivered under his stare.

Once they retired to his den, the Clan began muttering among themselves. Icepaw looked around to see that they had formed small groups. She had a feeling they were trying to decide whether or not what she said was true.

Whether or not she was telling the truth didn't matter. As long as she was away from Nightfeather and followers, that was what mattered. She needed to tell someone about Nightfeather and her plans to take over the valley. Knowing the black and silver she-cat, she had more followers than she let on.

"I doubt Sandstar's letting you join," Weaselpaw growled. "He doesn't trust anyone not from our Clan."

"At least she isn't as annoying as you," a silver gray apprentice retorted.

Icepaw held back a purr of amusement when Weaselpaw's eyes narrowed in annoyance. Clearly he was not the favorite around here. Maybe that was why he acted like such a mousebrain out on patrols. She had a feeling there was more behind his attitude than that though.

A few more heartbeats passed before Sandstar finally returned with his warriors. A few of them looked disgruntled as they joined their Clanmates.

"I have decided to let this cat stay, for the sake of Frostwing's memory," he announced once the clearing fell silent once more. Yowls of disbelief followed his words. Icepaw's hackles began to rise as a few of them started challenging Sandstar for his decision. He waved his tail for silence, waiting until the Clan calmed down before speaking again. "I understand what you are all thinking. But she has StreamClan blood. And she will begin her apprenticeship as though she was just made an apprentice."

_I suppose that's fair_, Icepaw thought. Though she wasn't looking forward to training again as though she was just an apprentice.

"Tallwhisker, you will be her mentor. I trust you to pass on your good judgement to this apprentice, and treat her fairly." Sandstar's gaze fell upon the long-legged gray tabby, whose ears were flattened in anger.

"Why is he so angry?" Icepaw almost winced as she asked the question out loud.

"Frostwing was his daughter," the silver apprentice replied softly. "I'm Creekpaw, by the way," she added when Icepaw looked down at her paws. "And you've already met my annoying brother, Weaselpaw." She grinned as Weaselpaw huffed his chest in annoyance.

"Icepaw," Icepaw replied with a dip of her head. "Are you the only apprentices here?"

"We have a sister, Sleetpaw," Creekpaw explained. "But she's in the medicine cat's den. She has a bad cough that Beechnose was trying to cure."

Icepaw felt a shiver run down her spine. She couldn't imagine what that must be like. But than again she had given up her siblings by leaving. She wondered for a moment how they were doing. Did they even miss her? Or were they happy that she was gone?

"She can sleep outside the den tonight," Weaselpaw hissed. "Her MoonClan stench will stink up the den."

"We can fix that up," Creekpaw mewed. Her expression was filled with laughter when she shoved Weaselpaw forward. Icepaw jumped back in surprise when he fell into a stream. A yowl of shock followed as he struggled to get to his paws.

"What sort of trick was that?" he demanded after shaking water from his fur.

"Oh I wouldn't worry, I heard cowards float," Icepaw replied.

She was about to take a step forward when something held her back. Weaselpaw was already angry enough. There was no need to encourage that anger. Besides, she was going to spend the rest of her life here. She might as well get used to his rude comments sooner or later.

. . .

"How could you let this happen?" The angry growl made Raincloud flinch.

She had tried everything to make Icepaw feel at home. In the end she had failed in both her promise and her apprentice.

_I just lost my first apprentice_. _Can't you at least take it a little easy_? She dared not say that out loud. Shadepelt was already angry enough. After discovering that his daughter had gone missing, he went out looking for her on his own. But he could find no trace of her sent.

It was as if Icepaw was never there. And the apprentices didn't seem to notice her disappearance either. Fogpaw had been quieter than usual, but that was it. Petalpaw and her siblings were about to become warriors, so the missing apprentice had never even occurred to them.

"What was I supposed to say? 'I'm sorry but you're staying here'?" she shot back. "Icepaw is old enough to know what she wants." She almost winced when she said that. Shadepelt's eyes glittered with rage as he turned to face her.

Icepaw looked so much like her mother. Raincloud knew full well that was why Shadepelt wanted his daughter to stay. But Icepaw was nothing like Frostwing. She wasn't gentle or caring. If anything she was headstrong and likely to get into trouble at the first sign of it. Icepaw was nothing like her parents.

"Oakstar said that we can't send out search patrols," he meowed bitterly. "He says that by now a badger or a fox would have found her. If I didn't know any better, I would think he doesn't care at all."

She wanted to tell him that wasn't true. That Oakstar was busy enough with his roll as leader. Ever since he had taken Redstar's place he had been busy. There was no telling what sort of trouble he was trying to fix now.

"I know you're upset," she sighed. "But Oakstar might be right. Maybe it's time to let her go. You still have Fogpaw and Cloudpaw. They will never know the truth. And it's better this way."

The truth had been too much for Icepaw. That was why she had left. All Raincloud could do now was hope that Icepaw had a place in StarClan.

. . .

"So this is our den," Creekpaw mewed as she showed Icepaw the camp.

So far she had explored every inch. The camp was bound with reeds and grass. Even the nests were made of reeds that were covered by moss. Creekpaw had explained that if the camp ever flooded, the nests would float rather than sink. It was a safety precaution they had discovered moons ago.

"Thank you, for being so kind," Icepaw murmured once the tour was over.

"Well, Weaselpaw is the only other apprentice I can talk to right now," Creekpaw replied sheepishly. "And he's the last cat I wanna have a chat with."

Icepaw couldn't help but purr along with Creekpaw. She seemed so friendly compared to the other StreamClan cats. She wondered if that was just because Creekpaw hadn't been training for real long. After all she hadn't seen the apprentice at the Gathering.

"Do I really have to share a nest with you?" Weaselpaw moaned after returning to the den.

"You're more than welcome to sleep outside," Creekpaw purred.

Weaselpaw shot his sister a hostile look before finding his nest. Creekpaw only returned the look with one of amusement. Once he was curled up, his tail tucked neatly over his nose to keep it warm.

_It must be cooler here than in the caves_, Icepaw thought.

"You should get some rest," Creekpaw told her after curling up nearby. "Tomorrow's a big day."

She didn't bother arguing with the apprentice. Creekpaw was right. Tomorrow was the beginning of her new life as a StreamClan cat.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So yeah, you got to see Shadepelt's reaction to Icepaw leaving. I'm debating whether or not I should write half a chapter on how the rest of MoonClan reacts to it. And this story is only going to get more interesting to those just tuning in ;) Big thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys are awesome!<strong>

**Oh, and quick question: If you are reading this, which character is your favorite so far? I'm just curious.**


	16. Chapter Fifteen

"_Some days, life feels perfect. Other days it just ain't workin. The good, the bad, the right, the wrong, And everything in between. Though it's crazy, amazing, We can turn a heart with the words we say. Mountains crumble with every syllable. Hope can live or die So speak Life, speak Life. To the deadest darkest night. Speak life, speak Life_..." Speak Life, TobyMac

* * *

><p>Chapter 15<p>

"I want to see just how much you know before we start any real training," Tallwhisker meowed as he led Icepaw to their training area.

It was a small clearing covered in sand. Beside it was a pond that one of the many streams fed into. Cattails brushed against one another in a warm breeze. Nearby a frog hopped into the pond. The splashing noise that followed made Icepaw jump in surprise.

Amusement gleamed within Tallwhisker's eyes before he ordered her to attack him. Icepaw whirled around to face him. Pelt bristling slightly, she leaped forward while trying to remember the moves Raincloud had taught her. In a whirlwind of moves Icepaw was flung to the side as if she was nothing more than a flea. Tallwhisker stood above her, eyes narrowed as he studied her fearful expression.

"If you were a MoonClan cat that move might work," he growled. "Here in StreamClan we fight differently. We use the water to our advantage during a battle. And we make sure our enemies are vulnerable."

_That's not what it looked like when you attacked us_, Icepaw almost pointed out. The StreamClan cats that had attacked MoonClan acted differently. It was almost as if they were acting out of fear rather than force. She had seen Tallwhisker in that one battle. He ran away with his tail between his legs once the fight was over.

Throughout the day he started teaching her moves that were better suited for StreamClan. For the most part it was like being trained by Raincloud. Tallwhisker used his long legs to his advantage. He could leap higher than any other cat, and faster as well. Icepaw was more annoyed at how he kept showing off than anything else.

"Tallwhisker, I see you're training your new apprentice." He stopped short when Runningstream joined them. Icepaw narrowed her eyes at Weaselpaw, who returned the look with a glare. "I was asked to find you so that we can patrol the borders," she explained before he could ask why they were at the training clearing in the first place.

"That will be a good chance to show you the territory," the long-legged gray tabby meowed.

Icepaw felt her fur bristle with excitement. She had never seen what another Clan's territory looked like. She wondered just how different StreamClan was compared to MoonClan's territory. From what she had gathered it was covered in marshes and streams.

"Why should we trust showing this traitor the territory?" Weaselpaw demanded as they started moving forward.

"That's enough, Weaselpaw," Runningstream growled. She cuffed the apprentice over the ears before he could say anything else.

_I'm glad I'm not the only getting annoyed with him_, she thought angrily.

They padded on in silence, much to Icepaw's relief. Much of the undergrowth had been swept away by floods in the past. Short tufts of grass grew along the edge of the path they took. Icepaw guessed that this path was used so much that grass didn't grow back.

"This is known as the Willow Forest," Tallwhisker explained when they came to a stop. Icepaw followed his gaze and understood why they called it that.

Many willow trees grew throughout the area. Their branches blew lazily in the breeze. It was a beautiful sight with the sunlight shining through the trees. For a moment Icepaw was almost taken in by the sight. MoonClan had nothing like this in their territory.

"You'll find lots of squirrels in this area," Runningstream meowed. "Though I can't imagine why you would want them," she added with a wrinkle of her nose. "Fish are so much better than squirrels, and easier to catch."

The smug look Weaselpaw shot Icepaw was almost enough to make her pounce on him. Almost. She held herself composed while he trotted on, ignoring her glare. She wasn't going to let him get to her. As long as she was part of this Clan, she wasn't going to let anyone get to her.

Runningstream didn't make her words sound like an insult. Icepaw couldn't blame her for sounding so wistful. It was pointless getting so upset over something so stupid.

As the patrol carried on, Icepaw began to feel more at home than ever. She didn't even notice that the water around her paws didn't freeze. Maybe the control over her power had something to do with her emotions. In MoonClan she had felt so confused and angry with herself. Whatever had changed, she enjoyed it.

"What's that noise?" Icepaw's ears pricked forward when she heard a thunderous sound in the distance. It was as if the clouds had opened up with thunder and no lightning. Tallwhisker's expression was grim as they reached the edge of a hill.

"The thunderpath," he explained. "The monsters never wander away from it, but they stink, and they make quite a lot of noise."

Icepaw followed his gaze and saw that strange looking creatures were swallowed in the monster's belly. Her eyes widened in fear until Runningstream explained that the creatures were known as Twolegs. The monsters hadn't eaten them, but they somehow had control over the monsters.

"How can anyone stand living near that?" she demanded with a wrinkle of her nose.

"It's better than being surrounded by Clans," Weaselpaw sneered. "You're not scared, are you?"

"I was just wondering what would happen if you got hit by that monster." Her voice was barely a whisper, but Weaselpaw heard it loud and clear. His ears flattened with disgust as he started to speak again, but Runningstream beat him to it.

"Over there is where we take the apprentices for their final assessments," she meowed. Her tail was pointing towards a cliff that overlooked strange looking structures in the distance. The monsters were heading for the strange structures. "The monsters are headed for Twolegplace," Runningstream explained after noticing Icepaw's confusion. "Sometimes Twolegs like to come here, so we need to keep an eye out for them as well."

A shiver ran down Icepaw's spine at the mention of Twolegs. They sounded more dangerous than anything she had ever seen. Maybe Twolegplace was where Nightfeather and her rogues disappeared to. It would make sense if that was the case. A perfect hiding place since the Clans never ventured this far away from the valley.

The patrol ended as they reached StreamClan's camp once again. Weaselpaw bounded after Runningstream as she padded over to a group of warriors. Icepaw just sat there, unsure of what to do next. She had already seen the Clan's territory.

"Did you see the territory?" Icepaw's thoughts were broken as Creekpaw approached her. She was surprised to see a pale gray she-cat with streaks of black standing beside Creekpaw. The apprentice's eyes were narrowed in suspicion as she eyed Icepaw.

"Erm, yes," Icepaw mewed uneasily. Creekpaw seemed to finally notice why Icepaw was so uncomfortable.

"Oh, this is Sleetpaw," she introduced with a friendly gesture. Sleetpaw's only reply was a glare. "She's just recovering from that bad cough." She nodded towards Sleetpaw, who said nothing in response. Icepaw felt the weight of her stare beginning to get to her. "I guess I'll be heading for my nest," Creekpaw finally added with a shrug.

"You may have them fooled, but I know who you are," Sleetpaw growled. Before Icepaw could reply, Sleetpaw suddenly lashed out at her with unsheathed claws. Icepaw didn't even flinch from the pain that followed. "You will never replace me," she hissed before turning to join her sister.

Icepaw looked down at the ground, trying to steady her breathing. The attack was unexpected. And judging by Sleetpaw's hostile tone, she was far from finished. This would need to be taken care of before it got worse. If she wanted to stay in this Clan, she needed to prove herself.

Holding back a sigh, she padded over to the apprentice's den and found a spot near the entrance. There was no way she would sleep beside Sleetpaw. The pale gray apprentice was sleeping between Creekpaw and Weaselpaw. They seemed more than content sleeping like that. All she would do was make things worse for them.

. . .

A solemn silence had taken over the Clan. Everyone believed that Icepaw was dead. There were no traces of her scent anywhere. Shadepelt still searched for her despite Raincloud's protests. He wouldn't give up on his daughter. Part of him refused to believe that she had died. Or that she would even think of leaving in the first place.

"I can't believe she's gone," Fogpaw murmured. His voice was full of distress. He knew something that the others didn't. Raincloud had tried asking him what was bothering him, but he refused to tell her. Each time she tried he would find some excuse to get away.

Then there was the older apprentices that Raincloud had worried about. Petalpaw was more than happy that Icepaw was gone. In fact she had never seen the apprentice look so pleased with herself. Owlpaw and Sunpaw spoke in subdued whispers, as if they were well aware of what was going on.

"Shadepelt, we need to stop these patrols," Oakstar meowed as the dark gray tom returned. His amber eyes were dark with anger as he faced the MoonClan leader. Oakstar's expression never wavered as he went on, "If she is alive, she knows how to take care of herself. Everyone is getting exhausted from these constant searches. It's time to let go."

Shadepelt's eyes widened in disbelief before he bared his fangs. "Would you give up on your kits?" he demanded.

_The Clan doesn't know you're the father_! Raincloud was desperate to say it out loud. Something held her back though. Oakstar's eyes narrowed into tiny slits as he towered above Shadepelt.

"Are you suggesting that you are her father?" he countered.

"I-I... no." Shadepelt looked away, annoyance flaring in his eyes. Raincloud's shoulders sagged in relief. So far he did not let the secret slip. If the Clan found out they would be in an uproar.

"Shadepelt, I understand your concern," Oakstar told him. "But we must think of the rest of the Clan. I'm sure she wouldn't want us wasting our time searching for her when we should be protecting the borders." Sorrow clouded Shadepelt's eyes as he finally nodded. "I will give you the rest of the day off. But tomorrow I want you returning to your normal duties." Again Shadepelt nodded.

No more protests. No more searches. Icepaw was gone. And Raincloud had a feeling she wanted it to be that way.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Boy that chapter was hard to write. Well, the last part of it was. I'm really excited about how many reviews I'm getting now, thanks everyone! You're all awesome :D And to top things off, this story may be my longest one yet both word wise and chapter wise.<strong>

**Sleetstorm - Yep, and they will stay long if I can keep 'em rolling. I'm definitely enjoying writing this story!**

**Willowdream of ForestClan - Oh don't worry, that chapter's coming up. I'm gonna have fun writing it too ;)**

**SilverShadow8282 - I'm glad you like her. She definitely has more characteristics than Raincloud, making her both enjoyable and easy to write about ^^**

**Cookies and Cream - Shadepelt is definitely not happy with what she did. He's not going to be any happier when he finds out where she is.**

**Thanks again everyone for your reviews!**


	17. Chapter Sixteen

"_I won't be livin' for nothin', No, I'll be livin' for something, and if the the sun goes down and the days run dry, Will we be dyin' for nothin', Or dyin' for somethin', Everywhere we go, Cities high and low, We all need to show, We got love, yeah, People of all kinds, Places far and wide, We all need to know, We were Born to Love_..." - Born To Love, Capital Kings FT. Britt Nichole

**Such an amazing song, and group. If you haven't heard them, than go and check 'em out! :P**

**Cookies and Cream - You'll have to read to find out :P**

* * *

><p>Chapter 16<p>

The next few days were a blur to Icepaw. Everything happened so quickly that she had gotten used to life in StreamClan. Tallwhisker kept drilling her on battle techniques. He showed her moves she never thought possible in MoonClan. A few of these moves were used mostly in the streams and ponds that surrounded the territory. Now she knew how to tread the water and use her back legs as though it was nothing. He had even showed her a few tree climbing skills that would come in handy in the future.

"You've improved over the last few days," Tallwhisker meowed as he led her to the training clearing. "That shows you are capable of learning new things, something that will come in handy once you are a warrior. Now I want to see just how skilled you really are."

Icepaw narrowed her eyes when she locked gazes with Sleetpaw. For the most part the pale gray she-cat had shown no signs of getting along with her. Not that she cared, but she wouldn't be surprised if Sleetpaw used her claws during this training round. She could see the malicious gleam already in Sleetpaw's eyes.

"Take it easy on her, she's still fairly new," Leafclaw ordered. Icepaw rolled her eyes at the remark. He wasn't as experienced as Tallwhisker when it came to mentoring apprentices. But he had been on the journey to find SunClan.

Sleetpaw suddenly leaped forward. Icepaw saw the move coming and dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding her sharp claws. They weren't out enough for Leafclaw or Tallwhisker to notice. Anger churned within Icepaw's stomach when Sleetpaw swiped a claw over her shoulder. Icepaw whirled around and used her paws to jab at Sleetpaw's ribs. Her anger was replaced with amusement when Sleetpaw skidded to the side.

Her eyes glittered with rage when she realized what Icepaw was up to. The pale gray she-cat lunged forward once again, this time avoiding her paws. Icepaw reared up and slammed down on Sleetpaw before she got any further. The apprentice crumbled to the ground, the breath knocked out of her lungs.

"That was good." Leafclaw sounded more annoyed than impressed. His ear flicked as he noticed Sleetpaw shivering. She struggled to her paws and glared at Icepaw coldly. None of them noticed the touch of ice that now covered Sleetpaw's side. Icepaw tried not to gaze at Sleetpaw triumphantly. "Looks like you've been learning more quickly than I expected," he added after giving the back of his paw a thoughtful lick.

"Nice job keeping her surprised," Tallwhisker praised. "That fighting style would come in handy during a fight."

Icepaw's triumph was temporary when Sleetpaw suddenly dropped to the ground. Panic showed within Tallwhisker's eyes when he noticed as well. Leafclaw gave Sleetpaw's flank a wary sniff before he looked back at Tallwhisker.

"She's ice cold," he announced.

"We need to get her back to camp, now," Tallwhisker hissed.

Wariness crept through Icepaw when she realized what had happened. Her shoulders felt heavy with fear as she followed them. Tallwhisker helped Leafclaw carry Sleetpaw as gently as they could back to camp.

_I did that_, she thought bitterly. _Why couldn't I hold back_? _Why did I lose control_?

Her pelt bristled with unease when they reached the camp. An eerie wail sounded as soon as Mosstail noticed their return. She was joined soon after by Crowfrost, who looked equally as shocked. Leafclaw bowed his head to the parents as they tried soothing their daughter.

"She's not going to die, is she?" Icepaw was surprised that her voice came out as a squeak.

"No, not immediately." Icepaw flinched when she heard Beechnose's voice. The pale brown she-cat must have crept out of her den when she noticed all of the commotion. "Someone needs to watch over her, and keep her warm."

"What happened to her?" She flinched again after hearing Weaselpaw's familiar voice. Creekpaw stood at his side, eyes wide in shock when he spotted Sleetpaw laying out cold.

She backed away to give them space. It was her fault Sleetpaw had been hurt. She let anger get the better of her. Now a cat could die because of it.

She tried pushing the thoughts aside as wariness crept over her. By now news of Sleetpaw's collapse had spread like wildfire. Most of the Clan was gossiping about it. Icepaw's ears pricked forward as she heard a few cats asking how this had happened in the first place. Thankfully they had not come up with an answer.

Icepaw wasn't sure how she would explain what had happened. All she knew from the elders was that cats did not have these gifts for seasons upon seasons. Back when the Clans lived with SunClan was when these cats had appeared.

"You are not alone, young one." Icepaw jumped as she heard a voice.

"W-What was that?" she demanded, voice cold with confusion.

"We mean that you are not alone. We are watching over you," the voice replied. "Like others before you, we are always watching and waiting."

Unease crawled through Icepaw. She wasn't sure what they meant by that, but it sent thrills of fear through her. The voice was calming enough as far as she was concerned. Had other cats heard the voice as well? Or did the voice only come to those who were like her?

"What exactly are you saying?" Icepaw thought she had narrowed her eyes. The apprentice's den was still empty, much to her relief.

"We can teach you how to control your powers," the voice explained. "But only if you are willing to accept and listen to us."

_I don't want to know what they mean by that_, Icepaw suddenly thought. Shivers ran down her spine, and she realized that this was her only chance of learning. Someone was willing to teach her how to control her powers.

"When do we start?"

Her eyes flew open, and she suddenly found herself standing in the middle of a forest. Tall, ancient looking trees surrounded her. Icepaw looked up to see that she couldn't look at the sky. The branches were covered in leaves that seemed to shroud the clearing in darkness.

"Welcome, Icepaw." The apprentice's fur bristled when she saw a cat standing in front of her.

His eyes were a dark icy blue. But his fur was almost solid black, minus the patch of white splashed on his chest. Icepaw felt another shiver run down her spine when she noticed the scars etched along his face. If she looked hard enough she would notice how badly damaged his ears were.

"I will be your teacher. My name is Blackstripe. I think you can see why." Before she could ask what he meant by that, he turned to show her his back. Sure enough the fur along his back was standing on end like a stripe running along it. She wondered how his fur had gotten that way in the first place.

"What exactly will you teach me?" Icepaw demanded. Despite the fear that threatened to overwhelm her, she couldn't help feeling curious.

"How to not only control your powers, but to become the best warrior in the Clan," Blackstripe explained. Icepaw flinched when she caught the flash of annoyance in his eyes. "I can assure you that no cat will ever stand in your way when we are finished."

She finally nodded in understanding. This was what she had wanted all along. Maybe this cat could help her better understand the powers she now had. And someday he might even teach her a few new fighting styles that even StreamClan couldn't teach her.

"Can you tell me how I get this power?" She was tired of asking questions, but now she was desperate to find out if there were other cats like her out there.

"We've always had powers within the Clans," Blackstripe meowed. "But we have kept them locked up for so long that we have forgotten how to use them. For some reason your powers are stronger than anyone else." He paused to let this sink in. "Perhaps your discovery is the reason behind the powers showing up. Stress and often fear will release the hold the past has over them."

Curiosity surged through Icepaw when she realized what that meant. Everyone else had powers as well. But unlike her they were hidden. Like Blackstripe had pointed out, they were locked away for some reason. Icepaw almost wished she could find out why.

"For now I am going to show you how to control your powers," he told her after an uncomfortable silence fell upon them. "You must concentrate on the cold in your heart... understand that this power comes from your anger and frustration. When you can control your emotions, you can control your powers."

Icepaw closed her eyes once more as she listened to the soothing tone in his voice. She knew that if she lost control she could freeze the entire valley. Her powers were strong enough to nearly kill an apprentice. There was no telling what would happen if the Clan ever found out what had really happened to Sleetpaw.

"How do I know if it worked?" Icepaw finally opened her eyes as another wave of silence followed. Blackstripe was still there, much to her surprise. She would have thought by now that he would leave her side.

"Why don't we test it out," he suggested.

Confusion swept through Icepaw until she saw what his tail was pointing at. A stream ran nearby through the trees. Icepaw took a deep breath before following him. She jumped when she saw shadows moving in the undergrowth nearby.

"Pay no heed to them," Blackstripe warned her. "They are only here to observe."

She glanced at them warily until they reached the stream. With a sigh, she touched the stream as carefully as she could. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she realized that the stream wasn't freezing over. It moved as swiftly as if nothing had happened at all.

"It worked," she breathed.

"Excellent," Blackstripe purred. "You will make a fine student." Icepaw was about to speak when he waved his tail for silence. "Not now, you need to rest," he added in a hurried voice. "Tomorrow night your training will continue."

She closed her mouth before nodding in agreement. She couldn't wait to begin some real training. If Blackstripe was any better than Tallwhisker, she would become a warrior in no time. That was only if Sandstar would ever trust her enough to become a warrior.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So yeah, there's the next chapter. And Sleetpaw isn't nearly as arrogant as Petalpaw, but she's close to it. And don't worry, she won't die... not yet anyways :P So please let me know what you thought of this chapter, I'm always looking for new ideas and constructive criticism.<strong>


	18. Chapter Seventeen

"_Just to know You and, To make You known, We left Your name on High, Shine like the sun made darkness run and hide, We know we were made for so much more, Than ordinary lives, It's time for us to more than just survive, We were made to thrive_..." - **Thrive, Casting Crowns**

* * *

><p>Chapter 17<p>

Determination clawed at Icepaw as she dodged each of Blackstripe's blows. He was trying to knock her out from under her paws. She studied his movements carefully before striking back. This time she aimed for his front paws, which resulted in him stumbling forward.

"Well done," Blackstripe meowed after they settled down in the clearing. "You are quick to learn new moves. And you show great courage in fighting."

Straightening herself up, Icepaw couldn't help but wonder if he was telling her the truth. Flattery wouldn't get her anywhere in the future. She wanted to learn so that she could defend herself, and the Clan that had taken her in.

"Can I learn anything else tonight?" she asked warily. Her muscles were heavy with exhaustion from fighting so long. But it was a good kind of ache. Blackstripe was right about one thing - she was getting better at controlling herself.

That would never have happened without his help. She had never felt more grateful to anyone.

Amusement gleamed within Blackstripe's eyes. "No, you must rest," he told her. "When you sleep again I will be here."

Icepaw closed her eyes, suddenly aware that he was right once again. The moment she opened them she found herself back in the apprentice's den. Weaselpaw and Creekpaw were still curled up in their nests. Once again Sleetpaw had to sleep in the medicine cat's den after everything that had happened.

Beechnose was afraid that whatever had happened before would start up again. She didn't want to take any chances with someone so young.

With a stretch of her back, Icepaw slowly crept out of her nest. Relief washed over her when she saw that her nest hadn't frozen over. Maybe what Blackstripe had told her was true. As she thought of what he had told her, she wondered if other cats had similar dreams.

"Icepaw, you're awake early." She jumped when she heard Tallwhisker's mew. The long-legged warrior had been washing his flank when he noticed her emerge from the apprentice's den.

"I couldn't sleep... I was worried about Sleetpaw," she murmured halfheartedly.

It was partly true. While she wasn't too fond of the apprentice, she didn't want Sleetpaw to die. Losing a Clanmate was like losing family. Besides, Icepaw knew how important it was to keep the Clan from getting suspicious.

"Sleetpaw's doing fine," Tallwhisker meowed. "She'll recover in time."

_I sure hope you're right_, Icepaw thought.

She couldn't help but feel guilty for what had happened. She let her anger get the better of her. Even though Sleetpaw was the one who provoked her, she didn't want to use her powers for the wrong reason.

"We're patrolling the MoonClan border today," Tallwhisker added after standing up. "Sandstar wants to make sure that no one has crossed."

Unease crawled through Icepaw when she saw his eyes flash warily. Was this Sandstar's way of testing her loyalty? She couldn't imagine what her old Clanmates would say if they saw her now. She looked down at the ground as her thoughts churned with anxiety.

Holding back a sigh, she grabbed a fish from the fresh-kill pile. Creekpaw was the one who said that fish was the best to take in the morning. It kept your hunger at bay for the rest of the day. The only downside was all the bones fish seemed to have.

Truthfully she actually enjoyed the strange taste. It felt good trying something different. MoonClan cats had never tried fishing in the streams or even swimming in general. Maybe because of who her mother was, Icepaw enjoyed swimming.

No. It was more than that. Water felt good to her. It was like running through the undergrowth, only better. She imagined what it was like to dive under the water. If cats used to have powers than maybe that was something they did.

Once she was finished she buried the bones outside of camp. Tallwhisker was already waiting for her, along with Duskstorm, a black and white she-cat, and Dewspeck.

"Hope the new apprentice keeps up," Duskstorm sneered. Icepaw tried not to roll her eyes. Tallwhisker shot the younger she-cat a stern look before taking the lead.

_At least he doesn't say anything_, she reminded herself.

She was grateful that Tallwhisker had been kind to her. Despite every cat being suspicious - which she didn't blame them for - he wasn't giving in, or up on her. And she couldn't help but admire that in the older cat.

They started moving at a fast pace, using the cattails to hide themselves. Icepaw struggled to keep up with them, realizing that this was more than just a border patrol.

She wondered how often Sandstar sent cats to keep an eye on this border. Judging from how wary they looked, more than they should. She kept an eye on Duskstorm especially. The black and white she-cat had been part of the battle a few days ago between StreamClan and MoonClan.

"Duskstorm, there's a mouse hidden in the undergrowth over there," Dewspeck meowed excitedly. Almost at once the black and white she-cat dropped to a hunter's crouch.

_But that's MoonClan territory_! Icepaw almost found herself protesting out loud. She knew these cats would kick her out in a heartbeat if she announced that. So instead she watched with keen interest as Duskstorm leaped for the mouse. With one swift blow it was dead, and she returned heartbeats later.

"Well done, we should bury it and give it to the elders," Tallwhisker murmured.

His expression was difficult to read. Icepaw tilted her head to one side and realized that he looked _guilty_. Maybe some of these cats weren't too fond of hunting in another Clan's territory. She imagined it wasn't easy for them, especially since they had followed the warrior code for seasons upon seasons.

"I think we've been spotted," Icepaw whispered after noticing a pair of eyes in the distance. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she recognized the cats on the patrol. Mousefang, Rowanfire and Goldenleaf. Icepaw tried not to groan in annoyance when she spotted Rowanfire.

Of all the cats to be part of that patrol, it had to be Rowanfire. The bossiest and most big-mouthed warrior in MoonClan. She made Petalpaw look good. Tallwhisker raised his chin as Dewspeck and Duskstorm joined him shortly after burying the mouse.

"This will test how loyal you really are," Duskstorm sneered.

Unease crawled through Icepaw once more. The last thing she wanted to do was fight former Clanmates. Duskstorm's eyes flashed with anger as the patrol drew closer. It seemed as though Mousefang was intent on figuring out what they were doing so close to the border.

"Look what we have here," Rowanfire hissed. "A couple of traitors to the warrior code." Her gaze fell upon Icepaw, who glared back.

"Keep your tail in your mouth, _kit_," Tallwhisker retorted. At once Rowanfire's hackles rose, but Mousefang shot her a warning glare before she could spit something back in response.

"What are you doing so close to the borders?" Mousefang demanded. His voice was deathly calm. Icepaw was almost certain that he would attack in the next heartbeat.

"Patrolling them, just like you," Dewspeck replied before Tallwhisker could.

"It looked like you were doing more than just patrolling," Goldenleaf sniffed.

The three warriors stood against one another, pelts bristling an ears flattened. Finally Tallwhisker bared his fangs and stepped in between Duskstorm and Dewspeck.

"We are not looking for a fight," he growled. "Let's go." He shot the warriors a threatening glare before taking the lead.

Relief washed over Icepaw's shoulders when they left it at that. She glanced over them to see worry clouding Mousefang's eyes. This would not be left unheard. She knew that he would tell the Clan what he had seen.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry this chapter is a little shorter than the others. I've been rather busy with life in general, applying for jobs and going to concerts and such XD The Casting Crowns concert was amazing. Absolutely loved hanging with my friends and singing along to their songs. Big thanks to Willowdream of ForestClan and Cookies and Cream for reviewing! You guys are awesome! :D<strong>


	19. Chapter Eighteen

"_Oh, no, I see, A spider web, it's tangled up with me, And I lost my head, The thought of all the stupid things I'd said, Oh, no, what's this? A spider web, and I'm caught in the middle, So I turned to run, The thought of all the stupid things I've done, And I never meant to cause you trouble, And I never meant to do you wrong, And I, well, if I ever caused you trouble, Oh no, I never meant to do you harm_..." - **Trouble, Coldplay**

**AN: So... yeah, I really have no excuses for my delay. Other than pure laziness and listening to music. Lots of new songs came out from for KING and COUNTRY as well as TAN. So I've been busy :P Anywho, enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 18<p>

Blackstripe was showing her a new move tonight. Eagerness clawed at Icepaw's belly as he jumped up, than rolled to the ground, exposing his belly. It was a move that would crush any opponent that tried clawing his back. But that left his belly exposed for a fatal wound. Icepaw wondered if he had taken this into thought.

"I want you to try it on me," he meowed after getting up. Icepaw eyed him warily before doing as she was told.

_I don't want to hurt him_, _but he might be able to hurt me_, she thought. _But this is StarClan_... _so we should be safe_.

She cringed when he lunged forward, using his claws to try and hold her down. With a hiss of frustration, she reared up and sank to the ground on her back. Blackstripe rolled away, only just avoiding getting pushed to the ground. She reeled around and swiped her claws across his muzzle while he was recovering. Blackstripe staggered back in surprise. Icepaw kept her gaze fixed on him, waiting for any moves that might follow.

What he did next caught her by surprise. He leaped forward with his claws unsheathed and tried pinning her down. She moved to the side, narrowly avoiding them. While he was trying to turn and face her, she froze the ground underneath him with the touch of her paws. Blackstripe let out a hiss of frustration as he skidded on the ice, landing promptly on his face.

"So how was that?" Icepaw asked once he recovered. Blackstripe gave his chest fur a few licks before seating himself up. He towered above her and looked more menacing than ever. Icepaw struggled to contain the annoyance that was slowly taking over.

"You used your powers in an offensive way," he said in an accusing tone. At that Icepaw looked at him questioningly. Isn't that what he had wanted? This was why she had started her secret training in the first place. "A wise choice, though I would keep those powers secret until you truly need them," he added as if the subject meant nothing to him.

Icepaw understood what he meant by that. If she let her powers slip, others would know. They would cast her out and treat her like an enemy. That was one of the reasons she had left MoonClan. She was afraid that Petalpaw would tell the Clan what had happened. Or Fogpaw would slip and tell the Clan. She knew full well that those kind of secrets didn't last forever.

"How long will it take for me to become a warrior?" she murmured halfheartedly. She desperately wanted to move from the apprentice's den, even though she hadn't been one for that long. She doubted that Sandstar would hold a ceremony for her any time soon.

"The time will come when you prove your loyalty to your Clan," he replied. "You should probably get some rest. Tomorrow we will continue your training, and meet with the others."

Curiosity flashed through Icepaw. What did he mean by that? She didn't have time to ask out loud. Blackstripe was already fading, along with the forest around him. In a matter of heartbeats, Icepaw found herself sleeping in her nest once more in the apprentice's den.

She was surprised to see that Weaselpaw was already awake. He was quietly grooming himself while he waited for the others to wake up. Sleetpaw was curled up next to Creekpaw, as far away from Icepaw as possible.

"Our final assessments are tomorrow," Weaselpaw meowed after finally noticing that she was awake. "I bet you'll never become a warrior," he added in a sneer.

Icepaw ignored his jibe and went on grooming her own fur. One day she would prove him wrong. Until than, there was no point in getting worked up over something so mousebrained. Weaselpaw was determined to get under her fur, while Sleetpaw was determined to get her revenge.

_I've only been here for a few days and I've already made enemies_, she thought bitterly.

"Is it really tomorrow?" Creekpaw's question made Weaselpaw nearly leap out of his fur. Icepaw held back a mrrow of laughter as he tried flattening his ruffled fur. "I can't wait to be a warrior! No more having to clean out the elder's den, and finally patrolling the borders like real warriors do."

_And steal prey from other Clans_. Icepaw didn't bother pointing that out. She couldn't help feeling amused by Creekpaw's enthusiasm. Along with Tallwhisker, she was really the only friend Icepaw had ever made.

"Icepaw, battle training, now," Tallwhisker's voice filled the den. She tried not to roll her eyes when Weaselpaw shot her a glare.

Tallwhisker was making sure she kept up with her training. Even though she had managed to prove herself over the last couple of days.

She followed him out of camp, eager to show him what she had learned from Blackstripe. Tallwhisker was in for a surprise when she tried out her new moves.

. . .

"What are you saying, Mousefang?" The Clan was gathered around Mousefang as he described what he had seen on his patrol. Shadepelt's ears flattened while he listened to the pale brown warrior's story. He didn't want to believe Mousefang. But what he said made sense.

"I'm saying that she joined another Clan," Mousefang meowed. "She was there with them, watching them. But she didn't say anything... it was like she was trying to avoid the conflict."

Shadepelt looked away as cats began yowling in disbelief. He knew the Clan would be angry. They had every right to be angry. Icepaw had always been distant towards others, but he never expected his daughter to leave like this. Maybe he should have told them the truth sooner.

_Maybe none of this would have happened_, he told himself. _Frostwing wanted our kits to be raised here_, _in_ _MoonClan_.

He had promised her. And the promise was broken. What would Frostwing say if he told her what had happened? Surely she would know by now. She was watching over them in StarClan after all.

"Hey, are you okay?" Shadepelt flinched as Raincloud joined him. Her eyes were narrowed in concern, a look he had grown accustomed to over the last couple of days. Both Raincloud and Cinderfire were trying to figure out what he was thinking.

They didn't know what it was like. They didn't know what it was like to lose the one you love. The sorrow he had felt moons ago suddenly returned. Icepaw was so much like her mother that it made him wish he had told them sooner.

"I'm fine," he lied. The words came out smoothly and quickly.

He had grown used to lying to everyone. It was just part of his life that he had learned to deal with.

"You don't look fine," Raincloud murmured. "I'm sure this is a hard blow on you." Again Shadepelt flinched at her words.

"Look, this is something I need to deal with on my own," he growled. "It's not like we were close or anything."

Raincloud eyed him doubtfully before shrugging off the matter. Shadepelt was more than relieved as she backed away. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about it. At least two of his kits were still with him. They were nothing like Icepaw, but that was what made them special.

_I need to tell them the truth before they find out on their own_, he realized. If he didn't tell them, they might run away like Icepaw had. Or they would never forgive him for lying to them for so many moons. He couldn't let that happen. Not if there was something he could do about it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the shorter chapter, but fillers are necessary. Big thanks to Willowdream of ForestClan and Cookies and Cream for reviewing! You are awesome! :D Also, in case anyone is interested, MercyMe's coming out with a new album in April. Preorder it today if you get the chance! :)<strong>


	20. Chapter Nineteen

"_Explorers and soldiers, In you and in I, Searching and fighting, To learn, to realize, Straight through our soul, With invisible thread, The pieces undone, Are whole now instead, The fight we're in, Has already been won_..." **Arise, Hillsong United**

**AN: Sorry for the delay in updates. I've been rather busy, and than the Internet went out. So yeah, had a lot of time to read and all of that fun stuff.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 19<p>

She watched with fascination as the three apprentices were led to the cliff. Their final assessments were today, while she was left behind to watch. Tallwhisker had said this would be a good training opportunity. To see what it was like to become a warrior of StreamClan.

All she could think of was how boring it must be up there. Overlooking Twolegplace with nothing to do but sit and watch. At least that was what she was led to believe. Upon arrival she realized that she was wrong. Weaselpaw was sitting like a statue beside his mentor, while Sleetpaw and Creekpaw sat side-by-side.

"Tell me what you can see," Runningstream murmured. Her voice was so soft that Icepaw strained to hear her.

"A Twoleg is walking with a dog on their trails," Weaselpaw replied. "I see a hawk flying nearby, but it hasn't spotted us."

Icepaw watched everything he was watching. To her surprise she saw that he was right. A hawk was circling above them, but it was flying in lazy circles. She knew from the way it flew that it wasn't hunting. Nearby she spotted a natural trail winding towards the valley. A Twoleg was jogging at a steady pace, with a dog loping beside it.

_Aren't they afraid of them getting too close_? she wondered. But the path wasn't leading into the valley. She noticed for the first time that it curved away, back towards the Twolegplace.

"Up here your patience is tested," Tallwhisker explained after noticing her wide eyes. "This is why final assessments are held here." Icepaw nodded in understanding. "Why don't we leave them be, we can practice fighting while they're here," he added as if nothing important was happening.

"When do you think I will become a warrior?" Icepaw almost flinched when she asked the question. She had tried to restrain herself from doing so. It made her sound like an impatient kit dying to be made an apprentice.

Instead of annoyance like she was expecting to see, Tallwhisker looked at her in amusement.

"I don't imagine it will take too long," he meowed. "While it takes a long time for Sandstar to trust anyone these days, he seems to trust you. Perhaps it is because Frostwing is your mother." He added the last part with a shrug.

Surprise flared within Icepaw. She didn't realize that Sandstar had trusted her this much. Should she tell him about Nightfeather and her followers? It might stir up bad memories of him losing his kits. She remembered hearing stories about that happening. It was only thanks to a few brave cats that the kits were saved.

They padded on in silence, until they reached the training clearing. It seemed oddly empty without the other apprentices. Icepaw realized that once Weaselpaw and his littermates became apprentices, she would be alone.

Blossomleaf's kits weren't even five moons old yet. Until they were six moons old, Icepaw doubted she would become a warrior.

"Now, I want you to try and attack me," Tallwhisker ordered after turning to face her.

Icepaw eyed him cautiously before doing what she was told. She wasted no time in leaping forward, claws sheathed as she struck his shoulder with a paw. Tallwhisker moved to the side just as she landed beside him. In a heartbeat he whipped around and grasped her shoulder with his teeth, careful not to cause any pain.

Remembering all of her training, Icepaw suddenly went limp as he started shaking her. She could sense Tallwhisker's confusion as he felt her go limp. Once he loosened his grip, she wriggled herself free and tackled him to the ground.

"How did you get so fast?" he grunted. She let him up and grinned triumphantly, remembering everything Blackstripe had taught her.

"Having a great mentor helps," she purred.

_Having two great mentors is even better_, she added silently. She wasn't about to tell Tallwhisker about Blackstripe though. She had a feeling he would never approve. Especially since Blackstripe visited her through her dreams.

"Now you're just kissing up." Amusement gleamed within his eyes. "All right, let's try a different skill. How is your tree climbing?" He looked at her curiously as she eyed the nearest tree. It was a birch, with bark as smooth as a pebble.

"Fairly good," she replied with a shrug.

The last time she tried it she was hunting a squirrel. Her assault on the tree had left her old Clanmates terrified. They thought she would fall to her death, but instead she gingerly made her way down.

"Why don't you show me," he suggested.

She started climbing without hesitation. She gripped the bark with her claws, careful not to start sliding back down. Birch trees were much more difficult to climb thanks to their smooth trunks. Icepaw had to cling on for dear life in order to avoid falling.

"The most difficult part of tree climbing, is knowing how to get down," Tallwhisker explained as she reached the closest branch. From here she could see that camp that was protected by bushes and ancient willow trees. "Not too many cats know how to climb, but it's a skill that everyone should learn," he added as she slowly made her way back down. "Frostwing was one of the few cats who knew."

A distant look clouded his eyes at the mention of Frostwing. Icepaw's eyes narrowed as she thought of her mother. Every time Frostwing's name was mentioned cats would get uncomfortable. She wasn't even sure why.

"There you are!" Icepaw jumped when she heard Brightflower's voice. She didn't know much about the dark ginger she-cat, other than the fact that she was friendly. "Sandstar wanted to speak with you about... you know," she added as Tallwhisker turned to face her.

Tallwhisker's eyes lit up with understanding. "Yes, of course," he murmured. "Icepaw, you come with me. You can help clean out the elder's den when we get back."

Icepaw was about to make a retort when she thought better of it. Right now there was no point in saying what she could or couldn't do.

They returned to camp in a matter of heartbeats. By now the sun was slowly sinking. Mixtures of orange and blue covered the sky as Icepaw worked on cleaning out the elder's den. Thankfully they didn't say much, other than thanking her for cleaning out their nests.

By the time she was finished, the other apprentices had returned from their assessments. Icepaw didn't miss the pride that gleamed within Weaselpaw's eyes. Or the excitement practically bursting from Creekpaw.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Sandmound for a Clan meeting!" Almost at once Sandstar had called for a Clan meeting. By now most of the Clan was gathered. Icepaw just sat where she could see the ceremony for her own eyes. "Three apprentices have reached the age of becoming warriors. Runningstream, Leafclaw, Leopardblaze, do you believe your apprentices are ready to become warriors?"

"I do," Runningstream replied confidently.

"Sleetpaw has learned everything she can," Leafclaw meowed.

"Creekpaw has as well," Leopardblaze added.

"Then I, Sandstar, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Weaselpaw, Sleetpaw, Creekpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," Weaselpaw replied without hesitation.

"I do," Sleetpaw and Creekpaw meowed together.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Weaselpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Weaselfang. StarClan honors you for your courage and fighting spirit, and we welcome you as a full member of StreamClan."

Weaselfang's eyes glowed with triumph as Sandstar rested his chin on his forehead. He gave Sandstar's shoulder a respectful lick in return.

"Sleetpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Sleetfur. StarClan honors you for your bravery and wisdom, and we welcome you as a full member of StreamClan." Again he did the same gesture with Sleetfur.

"Creekpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Creekfeather. StarClan honors you for your friendship and knowledge, and we welcome you as a full member of StreamClan." Creekfeather looked more than happy as she gave his shoulder a lick of respect.

Icepaw couldn't help but feel more than happy for her new friend. Creekfeather seemed like a fitting name for her. She was so soft and gentle towards everyone. Yet she fought to protect those around her.

"Weaselfang! Sleetfur! Creekfeather!" The Clan cheered their names, and Icepaw quickly joined in.

_Soon it will be my turn_, she thought.

Than another thought crossed her mind. There would be a quarter moon tonight. She had promised to meet with the rogues, despite the silent protests that screamed in her mind. Something told her that if she didn't meet with them, they would get their revenge.

Holding back a sigh of frustration, she padded over to where Creekfeather and Sleetfur were sitting.

"Congratulations!" she purred.

"Isn't it exciting?" Creekfeather asked with a dip of her head. "We're finally warriors."

Sleetfur didn't seem to be listening to her. Her eyes were narrowed with suspicion at Icepaw. She had kept her distance for the last few days. Now Icepaw would have the apprentice's den to herself. She wasn't sure if she should be excited or worried about it.

"We should go and sit vigil," Sleetfur meowed. She cast a final glare before joining Weaselfang nearby. Creekfeather joined her shortly after, eyes brimming with happiness.

Once they were gone, Icepaw returned to the apprentice's den. There was a soft spot in the barrier she could escape through. It was the one place she had managed to get away from Sleetfur's cold gaze. Now she could use it to get away from them while they sat vigil.

She cringed as a thorn pierced through her fur. There must be a bramble bush nearby. As she turned to face the den she had just escaped from, she saw that she was right. A bramble bush grew nearby, protecting what was left of the small barrier.

_I'll pull it out once I'm done here_, she told herself.

Right now she didn't have much time to get to the meeting place. From what Nightfeather had told her, it was at the same spot they had met the first time. Her paws trudged slowly through the marsh as she reached the meeting place.

_Icepaw, what are you doing_? She flinched when she heard a familiar voice. It sounded like Frostwing, but she wasn't sure.

_I don't know anymore_, she replied._ It seems like the right thing to do_.

_You know that it isn't_, the voice told her.

Icepaw tried to shake off the uncomfortable thought. She wasn't surprised to see that Nightfeather was in fact waiting for her. Dawnpaw sat beside her, eyes narrowed as if she was deep in thought. Her fur looked more ruffled than usual.

"I'm glad you could make it," Nightfeather purred. "So why don't you tell me what you have learned."

Icepaw took a deep breath before explaining everything that had happened in the last couple of days. Nightfeather listened with keen interest. Icepaw was almost certain that she believed every word she said. That was all she could hope for at this point.

"Wonderful, it seems as though you are fitting in nicely," Nightfeather meowed. Icepaw didn't miss the flash in her eyes as she glanced at Dawnpaw. "But that doesn't tell me any of their weaknesses. Does the Clan have any?"

"I... I need more time to figure that out," she admitted after swallowing back the fear that was threatening to overwhelm her. Nightfeather was menacing despite her frail appearance. She had an air of authority that made Icepaw wish they had never met.

Nightfeather exchanged a look with Dawnpaw, who shrugged in response. "Very well," she muttered crossly. "We will give you two more moons to figure this out. If you do not complete your task, than we will rip the Clan to shreds, and we will hunt you down." She added the last part in a low growl.

It took Icepaw every ounce of willpower not to glare back. Nightfeather could kill her in a heartbeat if given the chance. But Sandstar would never trust Dawnpaw or the rogues that followed her. She needed the apprentice.

"Thank you," Icepaw murmured. She dipped her head with respect before backing away slowly. If she did this right, Nightfeather could be stopped. The only way she could do this was with the Clan's help. Icepaw just hoped that she had enough time to gain the Clan's trust.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Big thanks to Willowdream of ForestClan for reviewing! And I know the name Creekfeather was used already, but I just love this so much! It just seems to fit her gentle nature :) Please let me know what you thought of this chapter!<strong>


	21. Chapter Twenty

"_Arrows flying, into silence, Broken pieces, lying around where it went down, Waters rising, back to silence, Quietly crying, wondering how, And look at us now, We thought our love would take the world by storm, Are we too far apart? Two worlds among the stars, You're gonna take a piece of my heart if you leave, So its two separate ways, Or am I too late to say "I wanna fight for what we got, Cause I believe in family_" _In family_..." **Family, TobyMac**

* * *

><p>Chapter 20<p>

Icepaw ducked and rolled to avoid the claws that were aimed at her shoulder. She whipped around and sank her teeth into the attacker's fur, restraining herself from breaking the skin. The attacker let out a hiss of frustration as he tried shaking her off. Amusement coursed through her as he reared up.

In a heartbeat she jumped off just as he landed on his back. The move would have crushed her if she had not sensed it coming. The tom struggled back to his paws as she just washed her own paws, ignoring the stern look he was giving her.

"You are getting crafty," he hissed. Suddenly his eyes lit up, as if an idea had sparked within him. "You are ready to meet with the others," he added.

Finally. Blackstripe had said that she needed to prove herself before meeting with the others. Whatever that meant. She had an eerie feeling that she had met these cats before. And if she hadn't met them before, than she would get to know them very quickly.

Getting to her paws, she followed Blackstripe as he led the way through the murky forest. The once green trees and undergrowth was soon replaced with rotting trees and leaves. Icepaw had begun to notice the change when she began training more often. It never bothered her that the forest was changing.

_Maybe this forest has seasons like we do_, she thought. Something told her it was more than that. Instinct told her that there was more to this forest than she'd like to know.

Blackstripe led her deeper into the forest, and she noticed for the first time that they were not alone. Other cats were there as well, watching them from the shadows. Unease crawled through Icepaw's fur as she continued following Blackstripe.

"Where are we going?" Icepaw finally asked. Her wariness was beginning to overwhelm her as she kept an eye on the cats around her. They were nothing more than shadows, but they had piercing eyes that seemed to follow her everywhere she went.

"The meeting place," Blackstripe replied. "They won't hurt you," he added after noticing her nervousness. "They know better."

Icepaw glanced over her shoulder and suddenly wondered what would happen if they didn't. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought. She knew that she couldn't die here. But the thought was still enough to make her nervous.

Eventually Blackstripe stopped in another clearing. Icepaw's ears pricked forward when she heard the familiar sound of fighting. To her disbelief she saw cats performing moves similar to the ones Blackstripe had taught her. She recognized Sunnypaw of FireClan, and Heatherpaw, the she-cat from SunClan.

"Everyone is already here." Blackstripe sounded annoyed.

A dark brown she-cat with part of her left ear torn approached them cautiously. Icepaw's fur bristled slightly when she noticed that the she-cat was missing her right eye as well. Something terrible must have happened to her. Icepaw couldn't imagine what that something was.

"Blackstripe, we gathered early to see who's apprentice is better," she growled with a dip of her head. "Sunnypaw is getting stronger with each passing day." She glanced over her shoulder as if to prove her point. Sure enough Sunnypaw had Heatherpaw pinned beneath her paws, a low growl forming in the back of her throat.

"She will make a fine warrior, Whisperwind," Blackstripe purred.

Whisperwind... what sort of a name was that? Icepaw tilted her head to one side curiously. That name sounded too gentle for a cat missing their eye and ear. Than again Icepaw had grown to realize that every cat here was like that.

"This is your new apprentice?" a voice scoffed. A second cat joined them, this one a big gray tom with darker gray paws and muzzle. His expression was difficult to make out as he glared down at Icepaw. "She doesn't look like much."

_Try saying that to my face you foxhearted coward_! she thought angrily. She dared not say it out loud. Knowing these cats they might just rip her throat out the moment she spoke up. Blackstripe simply shrugged as if the matter didn't bother him.

"Where is our fourth member?" Whisperwind demanded irritably. "Late as always."

"I wouldn't say that to her face," Blackstripe hissed. Whisperwind shot him a glare before straightening her posture.

Heartbeats seemed to pass before any cat emerged from the undergrowth. Icepaw was beginning to feel antsy until she saw a lean figure crouching before them. Anxiety coursed through her when an elegant looking silver she-cat emerged from the undergrowth.

"My apprentice could not make it... he had other business to attend to," she explained as the three cats began questioning her. "Now, let me see just how _skilled_ these apprentices are." She flashed an odd look at Icepaw, who flattened her ears out of wariness.

This cat looked eerily familiar. Icepaw couldn't quite put her paw on it, but she felt like she had seen this cat before. She exchanged a glance with the other apprentices gathered around her. They both looked just as anxious as she did.

Icepaw kept herself balanced as Sunnypaw barreled into Heatherpaw. Both she-cats were equal in battle, that much Icepaw could tell. She narrowed her eyes as Sunnypaw leaped for Heatherpaw's ears, ignoring the she-cat's yowl of pain as she clipped them with her claws. Panic showed in Heatherpaw's eyes. In that split heartbeat Heatherpaw had pinned Sunnypaw to the ground, eyes flashing with rage as she bared her fangs near Sunnypaw's exposed throat.

"Your apprentice is quite the skilled fighter," the dark gray cat meowed. "And you still have a lot to learn. Never let your guard down, especially when the enemy looks as weak as her." He nodded towards Heatherpaw, whose ears flattened in response. "Lets see what your apprentice can do." His eyes were narrowed at Blackstripe, who simply ignored the look.

She wasted no time in jumping after Heatherpaw. Icepaw balanced her forepaws and used her hind claws to rake the older apprentice's back with as much force as she could muster. Heatherpaw let out a squeal of surprise just when Icepaw landed nearby, ready for her next attack. Heatherpaw slashed her claws across Icepaw's nose, sending a jolt of pain through her. Eyes narrowing with rage, Icepaw suddenly lunged forward and held Heatherpaw to the ground, using all the strength in her front paws to keep her pinned.

"I think we've seen enough," the silver she-cat suddenly meowed. She stood up and looked at all three warriors. "All of these apprentices will make fine warriors when the time comes. For now it is time they had some rest," she added before any of them could argue.

Anxiety churned through Icepaw when she realized she had won. Heatherpaw was busy licking her wounds. She had been so friendly at the Gathering. Icepaw wondered if all of that had been an act. Maybe she was trying to gather information on the other Clans. If that was the case than she was much craftier than Icepaw had originally thought.

. . .

"We'll be patrolling the FireClan border today," Tallwhisker explained once she was wide awake. After finally getting some decent sleep, Icepaw had only just realized that she had the apprentice's den to herself. It was strange not having anyone to sleep next to, even if the two of those apprentices had been Weaselfang and Sleetfur. At least Creekfeather had been friendly enough.

"Who's going with us?" Icepaw asked while fighting back a yawn.

"Mosstail, Dewspeck and Blazeleaf," he told her. "Get something to eat first, than we will go." With a shake of his already ruffled fur, he joined Runningstream by the fresh-kill pile.

Icepaw gave this moment a chance to grab a water vole. She was looking forward to this patrol. Maybe it would prove that she was more than ready to become a warrior. If she had stayed in MoonClan than maybe she would be a warrior already. But her choice was already made, and if she left now she would be viewed as a coward among all the Clans.

Once she was finished she buried the remains and joined Tallwhisker, who was already waiting for her. Dewspeck and Blazeleaf remained oddly silent as Tallwhisker led the patrol. Though Icepaw didn't know them too well, she had grown to like the pair. Blazeleaf was Sandstar's daughter, and Dewspeck was Frostwing's brother. Mosstail on the other paw, Icepaw wasn't too sure of. She had yet to learn more about the senior warriors of StreamClan.

Tallwhisker padded forward, tail flicking from side to side as they reached the border. Passing through the reeds and willow trees, Icepaw didn't miss the scents that mixed in the air. The rogues had been here recently. Icepaw glanced at the others uneasily. If they picked up the scent, they would get suspicious.

"Mosstail, looks like we've got a couple of intruders at the border," Tallwhisker suddenly whispered. The gray she-cat's ears pricked forward, all too aware of the sudden tension. "Dewspeck, Blazeleaf, you go to the right, Mosstail and I will flush them out into the open," he ordered. "Icepaw, I want you to sit here and wait," he added as the others did as they were told.

She was about to argue when she thought better of it. Tallwhisker had already picked out a strategy that was meant for four cats. She guessed that these intruders weren't as dangerous as she had first thought. So she sat nearby in a bush, hoping to catch all the action.

A creamy gray she-cat was being chased alongside of a light gray tom with white paws. Both of them looked panicked as Blazeleaf kept on their tails. Dewspeck was on the other side, occasionally nipping at their paws to keep them moving. Waiting for them was Tallwhisker and Mosstail. They were crouched nearby, waiting for the right chance to strike.

Within heartbeats Tallwhisker pinned down the light gray tom, who let out a screech of fury. Mosstail had done the same to the creamy white she-cat. Both cats were struggling to free themselves as Dewspeck and Blazeleaf joined them.

"What are you doing across the border?" Tallwhisker demanded.

"There's no border to worry about!" the light gray tom spat. His eyes widened in fear when Tallwhisker pressed a paw against his neck.

"I think you'd better explain yourself," Blazeleaf hissed.

"There shouldn't be any boundaries," the creamy white she-cat muttered. "Why are the Clans so protective of them?"

Icepaw tilted her head to one side out of curiosity. These cats sounded more afraid than anything else. She suddenly wondered if their appearance had anything to do with Nightfeather and her followers. If she was bent on revenge than she might have already tried taking over Twolegplace.

"Go back to your Twoleg homes, furballs," Mosstail snapped. "Or next time you'll have more than just scratches to worry about."

The kittypets exchanged terrified looks. Icepaw braced herself for another fight. They were badly outnumbered. Surely they wouldn't be mousebrained enough to fight back again? Blazeleaf and Dewspeck had already attacked them enough.

After a few more heartbeats they finally decided to take the chance to flee. Icepaw's shoulders sagged in relief once they were gone. She had a feeling that Mosstail would have stayed true to her words. Those kittypets would hopefully not return anytime soon.

She padded out of the bush to see them regroup. Tallwhisker had ordered Dewspeck to mark the border again and make it clear who ruled them. No kittypets or rogues were going to come by without another warning, next time harsher than this incident.

"That's how you handle border fights peacefully," Tallwhisker meowed once they were finished.

Was this supposed to be some kind of lesson? She shook her head and followed the patrol as they finished checking the FireClan border. The scents of FireClan were fresh, but no cat had crossed the border. Icepaw was feeling pretty proud of herself once the patrol returned to camp. She had watched how her mentor handled intruders. And she now knew how to deal with useless kittypets.

Maybe in the next couple of days she would have the courage to tell the Clan about Nightfeather. She just hoped that she could tell them before Nightfeather decided to attack. Otherwise the Clan was never going to be prepared.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I am so sorry for my delay in updates. Honestly I'm not even sure when the next chapter will be posted. But hopefully it won't take so long = Big thanks to Cookies and Cream, Willowdream of ForestClan and Sleetstorm for reviewing!**


	22. Chapter Twenty One

"_Step out the door and it feels like rain, That's the sound (that's the sound) on your window pane, Take to the streets but you can't ignore, That's the sound (that's the sound) you're waiting for If ever your world starts crashing down, Whenever your world starts crashing down, Whenever your world starts crashing down, That's where you'll find me..._" **All Fall Down, One Republic**

* * *

><p>Chapter 21<p>

The forest seemed eerily quiet as Icepaw followed Tallwhisker through the darkness. It was the first time in moons she had gotten any real sleep, and now she was on the moonhigh patrol with her mentor. She had never felt more grateful than now to have gotten decent sleep.

"You seem more cheerful than usual," Tallwhisker meowed when he noticed that she was padding ahead of him. Mudnose and Crowflight were well ahead of them, keeping an eye out for any trespassers. Icepaw had a feeling that if there were any trespassers, they weren't making their presence known.

"I'm just happy to be out of the den," she murmured halfheartedly. It was partly true. But there was more of a reason behind her joining Tallwhisker's patrol. He was the only cat aside from Creekfeather she could trust right now. If she told Sandstar what was going on with Nightfeather, he might just exile her or kill her for lying to him for so many moons.

"No, it's more than that." Icepaw blinked in surprise as Tallwhisker looked down at her, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Ever since those three apprentices got their warrior names, you've seemed happier than usual." This time Icepaw stopped short as she realized where he was getting with this. "Were you not getting along with your denmates?" he asked eventually.

Embarrassment washed over Icepaw when she noticed that she had changed since Sleetfur, Weaselfang and Creekfeather had received their warrior names. Part of her knew it was because she was one step closer to becoming a warrior. But she had never gotten along with Sleetfur, since the young cat had almost gotten frozen. And Weaselfang was another story.

_I'm not even sure what's going on in his mind_, she thought bitterly. Weaselfang was always ignoring her or shouting insults behind her back when Sleetfur was with him. But when she was out on patrol or hunting he kept to himself and was actually quiet for a change.

"It's nothing really," she admitted with a shrug, hoping he would accept her lie. She looked down at the ground, suddenly aware that this was her only chance to tell him what was really on her mind. It wouldn't be long before she had to meet with Nightfeather and her followers.

How exactly did she get caught up in all of this? She couldn't even remember how it all happened. All she did remember was meeting some random rogue while running away from her old Clan. And of course he had introduced her to Nightfeather after she showed him her powers.

"Oh I'm sure it is nothing," Tallwhisker snorted with a roll of his eyes. Thankfully he left it at that as Mudnose called over to him. The small ginger and brown she-cat had spotted something up ahead. And while they were distracted Icepaw took this as a chance to think over what she would say.

"It's nothing big, but I found some odd scents near the marsh," Mudnose explained as Icepaw caught up with them. Crowflight was standing beside her, fur spiked up and tail lashing from side to side. She didn't miss the narrowing of his eyes as he looked on ahead. "I noticed this scent a few days ago, but I thought they were just passing through at the time. Now that it's back I'm assuming these rogues are trying to claim the marsh as their territory."

_Now would be a good time to tell them_, Icepaw realized. She took a deep intake of breath and recognized the scents in a heartbeat. Sure enough they belonged to Nightfeather and Dawnpaw.

"Don't these scents seem familiar to you?" she finally asked after shaking off the wariness that crept over her. All eyes fell on her, and she almost regretted speaking up. Icepaw swallowed before speaking again, "They do, don't they?"

Tallwhisker only shook his head while Crowflight's tail lashed once more. Than Crowflight did something that made Icepaw's heart nearly skip a beat. He inhaled deeply, trying to recollect the scents that were mixed in with the marsh. "The scent is familiar, but I can't recall where I remember it from," he admitted grudgingly.

"They smell sort of like FireClan, but the scent is slightly different," Icepaw meowed, trying to keep her voice calm. "These cats might have passed through their territory, or they might actually be former FireClan cats."

"How would you know so much about their scents?" Mudnose hissed in an accusing tone. Icepaw locked gazes with her while Tallwhisker exchanged wary looks with Crowflight. Mudnose didn't have a chance to respond as something lunged at her, picking her off her paws.

Horror surged through Icepaw when she heard a terrified screech. The stench of blood filled the air, masking Nightfeather and Dawnpaw's scent. Both Tallwhisker and Crowflight hardly had time to react as the cat that had attacked Mudnose raced away into the darkness.

"What in StarClan's name?" Crowflight's eyes widened in dismay when he spotted Mudnose. Her pelt was coated with blood and her namesake. The cat that had attacked her bit down on her neck, making sure she could not fight back. It was a killing blow to the neck. "Mudnose, what happened to her?" Crowflight pressed his nose against her flank, fur rising up again.

"We need to take her back to camp," Tallwhisker growled, voice full of grief. Icepaw had never been close to Mudnose, but even she felt bitter rage for the cat who did this. She had no doubt that it was Nightfeather, trying to mask her stench.

She felt a shiver run down her spine when she noticed a pair of piercing green eyes glaring back at her through the darkness. Nightfeather was watching her the whole time. She had known Icepaw was about to tell the Clan what she was up to. So she used Mudnose as a distraction to prevent Icepaw from talking.

Anger churned through Icepaw as they returned to camp. Crowflight and Tallwhisker were helping one another carry Mudnose's small body back to camp. A wail of surprise followed as Blazeleaf and Runningstream had been guarding the camp's entrance. Both she-cats looked terrified as Tallwhisker explained what had happened.

"What happened?" Sandstar demanded when he was woken up by the noise. Icepaw couldn't help but shrink back in her fur when Tallwhisker explained to him what had happened. The pale ginger tom's eyes widened in alarm as Tallwhisker recalled how Mudnose was brutally attacked and killed. "Why would a random rogue kill someone out of cold blood? What motive could they possibly have for this?"

Icepaw wanted to yowl that it was all Nightfeather's fault. But that would only make her look suspicious. Tallwhisker seemed to notice her worried look and stood beside her as Sandstar looked at them, as if seeking answers from them both.

"Icepaw mentioned that the rogues' scents were familiar," Crowflight growled as he finally noticed her wariness. Icepaw flinched when all eyes turned towards her. By now the news had spread like wildfire, and everyone was awake. Now she almost wished she had kept her mouth shut. "Said something about them having FireClan scent, and mixing in with other scents from the area," he added as if trying to piece together all the clues.

"Are you saying that you know who is behind this?" Sandstar narrowed his eyes. Icepaw knew he hated FireClan for what they had done to him and his kits. But it wasn't the Clan's fault. Silverstar was the one who had stolen his kits and forced him into giving up territory along with hunting rights.

"I'm not saying there are FireClan warriors out to get us," she replied, voice growing cold with annoyance. "But they _were_ FireClan cats at one point. Some of their old scent is still there, but it's getting faint. If we followed that scent I bet we could find who killed Mudnose."

"I think I'd rather be stripped of my warrior name than follow her ideas." Icepaw glared at Sleetfur as the older she-cat moved forward, pelt bristling with fury as she locked gazes. That could easily be arranged if Icepaw let her anger get the better of her.

Other cats began murmuring to one another, discussing what should be done about this. Icepaw was thankful no one had agreed with Sleetfur. Though she could see Weaselfang sitting dutifully next to his sister, as if making sure no one dared challenge her. Creekfeather seemed torn choosing between her sister and the cat she thought was her friend. Finally Creekfeather decided it was better to not get caught in the conflict. She sat apart from everyone else, licking the back of her paw while quietly observing the rising arguments.

"Enough!" Sandstar's yowl cut everyone off in a heartbeat. "One of our Clanmates was killed in cold blood by a rogue, that much we can't deny. For now we must sit vigil, that is what Mudnose would want. Tomorrow we will discuss what we should do with these rogues."

Icepaw felt her shoulders sag with relief as the arguments finally stopped. She knew that all this fighting would only tear the Clan apart. That was exactly the opportunity Nightfeather would need to attack. Right now the Clan was going to need to stay strong if they wanted to fight back.

To make matters worse she still had Blackstripe to worry about. She had a feeling there was something about him she shouldn't trust. And now she was once again in too deep to escape. There were only so many battles one cat could fight. And Icepaw had an eerie feeling that she was going to lose this battle.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Again, sorry for the delay in updates. Yeah, no excuses this time other than just running out of ideas XD Plus I started writing for the Avengers and that kind of ate at my time... so... yeah. Huge thanks to Willowdream of ForestClan, Cookies and Cream, Eaglehaze, and Skyblu112. You guys are amazing as always ;)<strong>


	23. Chapter Twenty Two

"**Sunset stole the light, That colored in your eyes, And everything in sight, Was lost in silhouette, You're lost in silhouette Light it up and let it go, Don't you see that you are not alone? Light it up and watch it fly, Cause you can go anywhere you want tonight...**" Light It Up, For King and Country

* * *

><p>Chapter 22<p>

"Your final assessment will be today," Tallwhisker meowed as he led Icepaw to the training area. Her ears perked up with interest. Already? She could feel excitement stirring within her. All this time she had been waiting to become a warrior, and now it finally arrived! "It took some convincing to let Sandstar know and understand, but I finally wore him down," he added after noticing Icepaw's surprised look.

Icepaw tried not to let her eagerness show. She had a feeling that Tallwhisker had really risked everything by convincing Sandstar that she was trustworthy. And she was more surprised by that than anything else. Did Tallwhisker really have that much faith in her?

The clearing was oddly quiet thanks to them being the only cats there. It was strange not seeing Weaselfang, Sleetfur and Creekfeather with them. Icepaw had gotten used to training alongside them, even if she only liked Creekfeather.

"Now, I want you to show me everything you have learned," he ordered while turning around to face her. Icepaw didn't give him a chance to prepare. She lunged forward, claws sheathed as she jabbed her paws into his muzzle before retreating further away.

Tallwhisker looked more annoyed than surprised by her attack. He whirled around so that he was facing her again, only to find the spot she was standing in moments earlier empty. Icepaw leaped onto his back, keeping hold while he twisted and struggled to throw her off. She jumped off just in time as he rolled onto his back. The move would've crushed her if she had not seen it coming. They continued through this pattern most of the morning.

Icepaw never backed down from the challenge. She was relentless and kept knocking him over so he didn't have the chance to strike back. All of these moves she had learned moons ago. Blackstripe might have taught her a few of those moves, but for the most part it was Tallwhisker who taught her.

By the time Icepaw was finished her shoulders were trembling with exhaustion. It felt good to take out her anger and frustration after the last few days' events. Mudwhisker's death had shaken all of the Clan. And despite what Icepaw had told them Sandstar only increased his patrols near the marsh. He seemed convinced that that would solve the problem.

"How did I do?" Icepaw asked after pinning Tallwhisker to the ground. By now she had grown twice her size, and was able to pin down a warrior even bigger than her thanks to Blackstripe's training. Icepaw felt pride surge within her, but she didn't let it show.

_Don't let your pride get the better of you_, she reminded herself.

"Alright, you win," purred Tallwhisker as she let him up. "You're obviously capable of taking down an enemy. But now we must take the final assessment even further."

She understood what he meant by that. All StreamClan cats needed to take this assessment seriously. She was no exception to this rule.

As she followed Tallwhisker over to the cliff, she thought back to how long she had been training. She had joined StreamClan shortly after becoming an apprentice in MoonClan. Since than she had discovered who her mother was, and found out about her powers. To top things off she was training under Blackstripe's sharp eye and needed to tell the Clans what Nightfeather was up to.

These past few moons had been stressful. That much Icepaw knew. But looking back at it, she was thankful she had endured them. Without Tallwhisker's support she might not have made it through. Maybe she would have run back to MoonClan.

"This assessment is supposed to teach you patience, and how to use your senses," Tallwhisker explained. "If you can describe what you see, than you pass. But you must stay still throughout, otherwise you will fail."

She tried not to roll her eyes at the statement.

_I have plenty of patience_... _I just don't use it very often_, she thought.

So she sat still for what felt like moons. Tallwhisker was watching her from a distance, making sure she stayed where she was. Down below was Twolegplace, the small nests stretching out as far as the eye could see.

Up above Icepaw could see a hawk flying in lazy circles. She made sure that the hawk wasn't hunting before sitting up straighter. All the while she kept an eye out for Nightfeather or any other rogues. If they were watching they made no indication they were around.

Eventually Icepaw found herself relaxing at the thought of becoming a warrior. Even if she was all too eager about the ceremony, she couldn't let that show. Tallwhisker might just be cruel enough to hold it back. The more she thought about it the more she wondered what her life would be like had she not joined StreamClan.

_Would I already be a warrior? Or would I have found a mate_?

That thought alone made Icepaw's ears burn with embarrassment. She couldn't imagine herself having a mate or kits. She was far from ready for that kind of responsibility. Besides, she had enough trouble keeping track of herself let alone a family.

"Alright Icepaw, I think that's enough," Tallwhisker suddenly meowed. She looked at him in surprise before glancing over her shoulders. If this was part of the test than she wasn't going to slip up. She wanted to prove that she was more than ready to become a warrior. "Icepaw, the assessment is over," Tallwhisker hissed as he tapped her on the shoulder with his tail.

"A-are you sure?" she asked warily.

"Of course," he purred.

She looked down at the ground doubtfully as he led her away. Tallwhisker had not said whether or not she passed or failed. She truly hoped that this assessment had gone well. Otherwise she might be stuck as an apprentice for the rest of her life.

. . .

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Sandmound for a Clan meeting!" Sandstar's yowl rose above the quiet murmuring in camp.

Icepaw was sitting in the back, grooming her already ruffled fur. She was so nervous about the ceremony that she had almost forgotten what the meeting was for. Sandstar trusted her enough to give her a warrior name. That thought alone made Icepaw happier than she realized. Someone finally trusted her.

"It is time for one of our apprentices to receive their warrior name. Tallwhisker, do you believe that your apprentice is ready to become a full warrior?" Sandstar looked at the gray tabby warily. Icepaw couldn't help but wonder whether or not he still doubted his decision in letting her join.

"I do," Tallwhisker replied without hesitation.

"Then I, Sandstar, leader of StreamClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior her turn. Icepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

The words meant more to Icepaw than she could ever imagine.

"I do," she meowed.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Icepaw, from now on you will be known as Iceshadow. StarClan honors you for your spirit and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior."

Iceshadow... She closed her eyes as Sandstar touched her forehead with his muzzle. Out of respect she licked his shoulder, suddenly realizing that this was all real. This wasn't some dream StarClan had sent her.

"Iceshadow! Iceshadow!" She tried not to purr as the Clan cheered her name. Well, half of the Clan anyways. Sleetfur and Weaselfang among a few others looked more reluctant to join in. She knew they would never fully accept her.

"Since there are no apprentices right now the younger warriors will have to take on their duties," Sandstar went on as the cheering died down.

Blossomleaf's kits weren't going to become apprentices for another moon. Iceshadow tried not to show her annoyance - this was not the time. Weaselfang and Sleetfur made their annoyance more obvious by rolling their eyes.

The ceremony was over. Iceshadow ducked her head and sat by the camp's entrance as the meeting drew to an end. She could already imagine herself going on patrols as a warrior, and putting Nightfeather's plan to an end.

Now that they trusted her maybe the Clan would be more willing to listen to her. She only had a few more days until Nightfeather made her next move. There was no way in StarClan that she was going to let Nightfeather get away with her plans.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Look at me updating at a reasonable time :) Yep, I've been hit with inspiration. Thanks Willowdream of ForestClan and Cookies and Cream for reviewing! You guys are awesome :D<strong>


	24. Chapter Twenty Three

"**Why are you striving these days, Why are you trying to earn grace, Why are you crying, Let Me lift up your face, Just don't turn away Why are you looking for love, Why are you still searching, As if I'm not enough, To where will you go child, Tell Me where will you run, To where will you run 'Cause I'll be by your side wherever you fall, In the dead of night whenever you call, And please don't fight these hands that are holding you, My hands are holding you...**" By Your Side, Tenth Avenue North

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 23<strong>

Pride surged within her as she raised her chin. She wondered if her littermates were warriors now. By now they probably were. What kind of names would Fogpaw and Cloudpaw have? If they did become warriors than maybe she would see them at the Gathering.

The Gathering. A shiver ran down her spine when she pictured the last time she had been to one. Since joining StreamClan Sandstar had not let her go to any. Part of her knew it was from lack of trust. Though she had a feeling he was more worried about the trouble it would cause with MoonClan.

_MoonClan is already on edge because of the border fights_, she thought bitterly. _They don't realize that there's a bigger problem to worry about_.

She had one moon to convince Sandstar that Nightfeather was planning an attack on the Clans. If she didn't work fast than the Clans might fall. She had no idea how many followers Nightfeather had at the time they first met. And the more she thought about it the more anxious she got.

"Iceshadow, your vigil is over." She flinched when a tail brushed over her shoulder. Glancing around she spotted Tallwhisker staring at her, concern showing in his eyes. "Something is bothering you," he meowed in an accusing tone.

Should she tell him everything? Tallwhisker had trusted her until now. If she told him what Nightfeather was up to that trust might disappear. But than again she really had nothing to lose. Either way if she was kicked out of the Clan she would try and take on Nightfeather alone.

"How do you convince a Clan that something bad is going to happen?" she asked warily. Tallwhisker tilted his head to one side, expression serious. "I mean, if someone was about to attack the Clan and only you knew about it, how would you tell them without making it seem like you're working for the enemy?"

"The Clan trusts you enough that they will listen," he replied. "Who is planning on attacking us?" Iceshadow looked down at her paws. Guilt suddenly began to overwhelm her as she thought of what to say next.

"I... Before I joined the Clan I ran across a cat known as Nightfeather," she murmured. Tallwhisker's eyes widened in disbelief. "She told me that I needed to gain the Clan's trust... and find out if they had any weaknesses the rogues could use against them."

Understanding finally lit in his eyes. An understanding that Iceshadow did not expect to see. Shame crawled down her fur when she realized how she had let Nightfeather control her. The former FireClan deputy had threatened to kill her, and it worked. All Iceshadow could feel was that familiar fear that threatened to overwhelm her.

"You must share this news with Sandstar," he told her. "I know it is hard to keep secrets like that, but the sooner the Clan knows, the better off you are."

She looked at him uncertainly before realizing that he was right. There was a threat that could destroy the Clans of the valley. And they had every right to know what that threat was. Right now she was the only one aware of what Nightfeather was up to.

"Alright, I'll speak with Sandstar," she sighed with a bow of her head. This was moving too quickly. One moon she had first joined StreamClan. And it felt like the next she was already a warrior. True she had been training before she had joined StreamClan. But the fact that Sandstar trusted her enough made her feel uneasy.

Tallwhisker led her over to Sandstar's den. It was close to the warrior's den, and closer to the nursery. From what Iceshadow had learned he'd moved his nest to stay closer to the nursery. His fear of losing more kits had gotten the better of him.

The ginger and white tom looked annoyed when Tallwhisker greeted him. And for the first time Iceshadow noticed just how old Sandstar looked. His muzzle that used to be lined with orange fur now had a gray tinge to it. Though she would never know how old he was just by looking at him. When Tallwhisker explained why they were there his eyes narrowed into tiny slits.

Iceshadow took a deep breath before explaining herself. The nervous feeling she had moments ago suddenly returned. Sandstar took it all in before baring his teeth at her. Out of sheer defense Iceshadow unsheathed her claws, ready to block him in case he attacked.

"I was a fool to think I could trust you!" he snarled, the venom in his voice sending shivers down Iceshadow's spine. "You're nothing but a traitor! A traitor and a liar who works with those rogues!"

"Sandstar she isn't-" The StreamClan leader cut Tallwhisker off with a glare.

"And you knew what she was up to, didn't you?" he demanded.

"I didn't know until this morning," Tallwhisker hissed.

By now more cats had emerged from their dens to find out what was going on. Iceshadow flattened her ears when she noticed that Sleetfur was glaring at her. The pale gray she-cat had never trusted her. And now with Sandstar's ranting she might never trust her.

"I always knew she was a traitor," Iceshadow heard someone whisper.

_Don't react_. _Don't react_. But as cats began whispering to one another, her fur began to bristle with anger.

"This cat does not deserve a place in this Clan," Sandstar yowled. "You are nothing but a traitor. I should not have trusted you from the start." Hate showed within his eyes as he glared at Iceshadow.

All the hope she felt a few moments ago suddenly vanished.

"Sandstar, don't do this." Silence followed as Bramblemist stepped in, eyes darkening as she locked gazes with Sandstar. "This isn't you... you're letting fear cloud your judgement," she added when Sandstar glared at her.

"What do you think of this traitor?" he demanded with a flick of his tail.

Iceshadow flinched at the term. She wasn't a traitor. Or at least she didn't think she was. She couldn't imagine betraying her Clan or the warrior code. Yet here she was being accused of what felt like murder.

"I believe that Iceshadow is a good cat," Bramblemist meowed with a dip of her head. "And if what she is saying is true, than we should not be fighting amongst ourselves."

She looked at Bramblemist thankfully as Sandstar began to consider her wisdom. Though she had rarely spent time with the StreamClan deputy Bramblemist stood up for her. And soon more cats were beginning to side with Bramblemist.

The anger Sandstar had shown earlier suddenly seemed to vanish as Blazeleaf and Salmonclaw stood beside Bramblemist. Iceshadow stared at the young cats in disbelief. Of all the cats in the Clan she had never expected them to support her.

"If you insist that this is the only way, than fine," he muttered grudgingly. "But I want guards posted around her at all times. She is not to be trusted until this matter is resolved."

Iceshadow bowed her head respectfully, grateful that the arguments were over. There was still the matter with Nightfeather to contend with, but at least Sandstar was willing to listen now.

"She said the rogues are being led by Nightfeather," Tallwhisker explained when Bramblemist asked what was going on. Her eyes widened in disbelief as he continued telling her everything Iceshadow had told him.

"I thought she was killed in the battle when Silverstar tried taking over," Brightflower growled. The dark ginger she-cat had been torn between choosing between her mate and her kits. So she stayed neutral, making sure that Sandstar didn't turn on them if he chose to.

"Nightfeather ran away like the coward that she is," Crowflight hissed.

"Iceshadow, did you see how many cats were with her?" Bramblemist asked.

She looked back to the cats she had met all those moons ago. It didn't feel like that much time had passed.

"Dawnpaw was with her as well, along with a few rogues she managed to turn over to her side," she explained.

"The apprentice that ran away!" That was Mosstail who spoke up. While she had sided with Sleetfur and a few other cats who had called Iceshadow a traitor, she was now listening to them with keen interest.

"We need to make plans to fight back," Crowflight meowed.

"We don't even know if Nightfeather is alive, let alone this furball is telling the truth," Sleetfur sneered. "For all we know she could be lying to us just to cause chaos." Her amber eyes were narrowed with hate as she glared at Iceshadow.

"Well _I_ believe her." Creekfeather's voice was filled with hope as she spoke up. Iceshadow glanced at her in surprise, while Sleetfur looked angrier than ever. "Sleetfur, why are you always so angry? You've been like this ever since-" Sleetfur cut her off with a snarl.

"Ever since she joined the Clan!" she spat. "I won't ever trust her, after what she did to me!"

Before anyone could say anything she fled into the bed of reeds. Iceshadow was tempted to go after her and apologize. But than she realized how mousebrained that would be. Sleetfur didn't trust her. And Iceshadow doubted that Sleetfur would ever trust her. Trust was something you had to earn.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So, another fast update :D This chapter was fun to write. Lots of tension between Sandstar and Iceshadow, and Sleetfur goes off the deep end XD More will be explained in the next chapter. A huge thanks to Willowdream of ForestClan for reviewing. I really appreciate your reviews :)<strong>

**Also, a huge announcement for anyone interested: POKEMON RUBY AND SAPPHIRE REMAKES HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED! Yep, I'm a huge fan of Pokemon :P I am so excited for November!**


	25. Chapter Twenty Four

"**Splash down in the silver screen, Into a deep dramatic scene, I swim through the theater, Or maybe I'm just a dreamer, Like a kite in the bright midday, Wonder stole my breath away, Shy sonata for Mercury, The stars always sing so pretty...**" Dreams Don't Turn To Dust, Owl City

* * *

><p>Chapter 24<p>

Darkness crept over Iceshadow like a blanket. She felt a shiver run down her back. This forest was beginning to get eerily familiar to her. Blackstripe had not visited her over the past few days, but that was because she had worked tirelessly since becoming a warrior.

And now she had this to worry about on top of Nightfeather and her rogues. There was so much at stake right now. Half of the Clan didn't trust her, and the half that did was risking their lives to trust her. Iceshadow almost wished that she had stayed in MoonClan. Maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe she would be a normal warrior with a normal life.

_Yet I have these stupid powers that so far don't do anything to help me_, she thought bitterly. _Why do I have these powers if I can't even use them_?

She had thought about telling the Clan about her powers. But there was enough trouble going on as it was. She didn't want to make things any worse than they already were. Iceshadow only hoped she wouldn't have to use her powers when it came to fighting Nightfeather.

"Iceshadow, it's good to see you again." Blackstripe's rasping purr sent more shivers down her spine. She dipped her head as he approached her out of the shadows. "You are a warrior at last. But that does not mean your training here can end," he added in a low hiss.

"I understand that," she replied. Before she could say anything else Blackstripe suddenly lashed out at her muzzle with his claws. Pain seared through her as she stumbled back from the surprise. Amusement gleamed within Blackstripe's eyes as he watched her curse under her breath. "What was that for?" she demanded, voice as cold as her namesake.

"To make sure that you don't do this again," he snapped. "Every apprentice here must learn that the hard way. Be thankful your punishment wasn't more painful, I could have done much more to you than you could imagine."

For the first time since she started this training, fear wormed it's way into her heart. This was no StarClan forest. She would not have felt pain if that were the case. And she doubted StarClan warriors were this cruel to their apprentices, if they had any.

Iceshadow was too lost for words as Blackstripe led her to the training area. Her heart raced as she thought of how to escape from this place. If Blackstripe was this dangerous than she couldn't imagine what the other cats in this forest were like.

"Can we try something new tonight?" Iceshadow suddenly asked. Her ears flattened when Blackstripe glared at her, but he didn't say no. He just sat down with his tail wrapped neatly over his paws as he waited for her to speak.

Taking a deep breath, Iceshadow focused on her powers. She had learned some time ago to concentrate deeply on it. That was the only way she could really control it. Blackstripe's eyes narrowed into tiny slits when the air suddenly got colder.

He didn't get the chance to say anything as an icy blast was hurtled towards him. His eyes widened in disbelief before he was frozen on the spot. Iceshadow felt her heart nearly skip a beat when she realized that patches of the forest were frozen over as well. This had never happened before as far as she could tell.

_If I freeze the forest than the Dark Forest will stop hurting the Clans_, she realized. Even if it was only temporary she could stop the Dark Forest, for now. With that in mind Iceshadow raced forward, not even glancing back as she began freezing everything her paws touched. She only hoped that when Blackstripe freed himself from the ice, he wouldn't go after her for revenge.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Iceshadow skidded to a halt when she felt claws gripping her shoulder. She let out a yowl of surprise when she saw a pale looking cat glaring at her. "This battle is far from over, kit," the cat sneered.

Iceshadow glared at the enemy, but she dared not say anything. She knew the path she was treading would be a dangerous one. And there was no escaping the Dark Forest once they got a hold of her. She was going to have to fight her way through, powers or no powers.

. . .

Worry clouded Shadepelt's thoughts. He paced around the cave as he thought of what Icepaw was up to nowadays. Or what any of his kits were up to. It felt like moons had passed since he'd made that promise to Frostwing. To keep their kits safe no matter what happened to him. But now they had all taken their own paths.

"Will you stop that pacing?" Rowanfire hissed. "I'm getting tired of seeing you act this way, mousebrain."

Shadepelt was about to make a retort when he realized that she was actually _concerned_ for him. Rowanfire had never shown such emotions towards anyone. She was the one who always started arguments or thought that she was always right.

"I'm just worried, about the border fights," he muttered crossly. It was partly true. StreamClan had been strangely quiet since the last border fight, which was nearly four days ago. The whole Clan was beginning to wonder if Sandstar had finally given up.

_It would serve the mousebrain right if he thought he could take our borders_, Shadepelt thought with a roll of his eyes. By leadership terms Sandstar was old. He was deputy when Redstar became MoonClan's leader. Maybe old age was starting to get to him.

"Something else is bothering you," Rowanfire snorted. She was licking the back of her paw as if this conversation meant nothing to her.

It probably didn't mean anything to her. Why she was wasting her time chatting with a 'lower life form' was beyond Shadepelt. Maybe she was finally beginning to mature. It had taken her long enough if that was the case.

"I'll be fine," he growled. Rowanfire looked at him in surprise before shrugging.

"Whatever you say, mousebrain," she scoffed.

Shadepelt didn't bother saying anything else. Though he had to admit that Rowanfire was right. He was always worrying about his kits and what they were up to these days. He knew that eventually they would find out who their birth parents were, if they hadn't discovered that already.

Only Raincloud and Bluelightning knew about his secret. And Raincloud was always disappearing in the middle of the night to who knows where. Her brother was busy tending to the wounded after the battle at the border.

He actually hadn't seen Raincloud in days now. Every now and than he would spot her leaving for a patrol. But lately she had been so distant towards the Clan. He had a feeling that she was meeting with someone. Memory told him that was exactly what was going on.

_You can't control who you fall in love with_. _It just_... _happens_. Shadepelt flinched as he remembered that was what Frostwing had told him when they were still apprentices. For the longest time he kept telling himself that it was wrong, that they were breaking the warrior code. Eventually Shadepelt just learned to accept it as his destiny. If falling in love was what StarClan had wanted for him, than he would follow his heart.

. . .

Panic gripped Iceshadow's heart as she steadied herself. The pale gray she-cat's lips curled in a snarl of contempt. This cat was determined to get the best of her. Already she had received several wounds to the shoulder and muzzle. If this kept up she wouldn't escape.

"Still think you can get away from me?" the pale gray she-cat sneered. "I am stronger, faster and better than you will ever be!" Without missing a heartbeat she lunged forward, claws scraping along the edge of Iceshadow's fur. Iceshadow moved away just in time to avoid receiving more wounds.

"Who are you?" Iceshadow demanded. Her teeth ground together as the slender she-cat moved swiftly to the side, avoiding a blast of icy cold wind.

"You don't even recognize me? How pathetic," the she-cat hissed. "My name is Silverstar. I was leader of FireClan before those fools decided to take me down."

Iceshadow's eyes widened at the name. Silverstar. She was the one who had ordered the attack on StreamClan. It was her who decided to kidnap Sandstar's kits, so that he would obey her every command. And it was her who nearly destroyed all of the Clans in the valley.

"What do you want with me?" she rasped after realizing just how dangerous her enemy was. StarClan wasn't here to help her. She was on her own.

"Nightfeather was wise in finding you," Silverstar explained. "She knew the potential you have, and yet you throw it away by following those mousebrains you call your Clanmates." With a wave of her tail she suddenly lunged forward again. This time Iceshadow leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding getting crushed. "Imagine how glorious the Clans would be if they were united as one, under one leader we would have no enemies!"

She bared her teeth at Silverstar as the former leader rose to her paws again. "I would never let that happen," she snarled. "The Clans will always have enemies, and they would never agree to uniting as one!"

Silverstar's eyes flashed with malice. The hate within them sent shivers of rage down Iceshadow's back. She almost wished that none of this would have happened. Silverstar was a cruel leader who didn't deserve a second chance.

"Do you honestly believe that?" she growled. When Iceshadow nodded, Silverstar let out a purr of amusement. "You are more of a fool than I realized. The Clans weren't always four Clans. At one time they were one. And it can be done again."

Before Iceshadow could say anything else, Silverstar raised a claw and swiped it across the back of her cheek, knocking her off her paws. The pain that followed blocked out her vision. Silverstar saw the opportunity and pounced, wasting no time in getting her revenge.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So that was a fun cliffie to write. And the plot is finally back in action. Yes, I did randomly leave that scene with Shadepelt like that on purpose. He will have another couple of chapters before I'm done with him ;) Thanks to Willowdream of ForestClan and Cookies and Cream for reviewing!<strong>


	26. Chapter Twenty Five

"**Hold on, to me as we go, As we roll down this unfamiliar road, And although this wave (wave) is stringing us along, Just know you're not alone, Cause I'm gonna make this place your home Settle down, it'll all be clear, Don't pay no mind to the demons, They fill you with fear, The trouble it might drag you down, You get lost, you can always be found...**" Home, Phillip Phillips

* * *

><p>Chapter 25<p>

"Iceshadow, wake up!"

Panic gripped her heart when she heard the loud voice. Silverstar's claws had pierced through her like a tender leaf. A mixture of amusement and hatred gleamed in the older cat's eyes. Rage surged through Iceshadow as she grabbed Silverstar's paw with her teeth.

The former leader let out a yowl of pain as Iceshadow managed to throw her off her paws. Silverstar glared at Iceshadow, but she didn't give the former leader a chance to attack. Without warning she lunged forward and barreled into Silverstar. Despite the burning in her chest, Iceshadow felt energy surge within her.

She swiped her claws across Silverstar's exposed chest the moment she had the chance. There was no holding back her anger. Silverstar had caused too much pain in her former life. Even now she was causing pain to those the Dark Forest trained.

"You really think you can kill me?" Silverstar sneered. Iceshadow's gaze flickered over to her, pelt bristling with fury.

"No, but I can stop you from controlling the living," Iceshadow hissed.

Before Silverstar could ask what she meant by that, Iceshadow began to concentrate on her power. She felt a rush of cold air surge through her when she grabbed hold of Silverstar. The pale gray she-cat let out a screech of fury as she began to freeze from the paws up. Iceshadow didn't stop until she knew for sure that Silverstar was frozen solid.

_StarClan gave me these powers for a reason_, she realized. _Now I understand what you want me to do with them_.

"Wake up!" A yowl sounded, this time closer than the last one. Iceshadow blinked in surprise. The voice sounded so familiar. Yet it also sounded so far away. "Iceshadow!" Her eyes widened when she finally recognized the voice.

Again she blinked, and the vision of the Dark Forest began to fade. Iceshadow's fur bristled with unease when she found herself back in a nest outside the warrior's den. She looked up in surprise to see Tallwhisker standing above her, eyes wide with panic.

"What happened?" Iceshadow flinched when she could hear how scratchy her voice sounded. It felt like she had been wailing all night. What really scared her though was the blood that stained her nest. Her eyes widened in horror when she realized that it was her own blood.

"What in StarClan's name happened to _you_?" Tallwhisker demanded.

"I... I don't want to talk about it," she admitted shakily.

If she told him about the Dark Forest, even _he_ wouldn't trust her. He would believe that somehow she was working for the Dark Forest. There was no way in StarClan she would ever do that again. If she could she would freeze it over and over again just to keep them from attacking.

Tallwhisker looked like he was ready to argue when he thought better of it. "You need to see Beechnose, now," he ordered through gritted teeth. Iceshadow straightened up immediately, though she winced in pain when she realized where her wound was.

He was right about that. If her wounds didn't get tended to now than they might get infected. With a sigh of frustration she staggered out of her nest and made her way to the medicine cat's den. It was located in a crop of reeds that grew along the edge of camp. But it was close enough that every cat had access to the den. The inside itself was kept clean thanks to Beechnose and the apprentices. Iceshadow's nose wrinkled as she remembered cleaning out the den.

_At least Beechnose is friendly company compared to the elders_, she reminded herself. She had never really spoken to the medicine cat, but she knew well enough that Beechnose was friendly. She cared deeply for her Clanmates. And to Iceshadow that was what mattered the most.

Beechnose was already awake when Iceshadow approached the den. The medicine cat's eyes widened in shock when she noticed the wounds on Iceshadow's chest.

"What happened?" she asked warily as she immediately grabbed the herbs needed for treatment. Iceshadow struggled not to roll her eyes as she quickly made up an excuse. She had a feeling Beechnose would already know the truth anyways. "Wounds like that don't just come from hunting," the medicine cat pointed out.

"Look, I'd rather not talk about it," Iceshadow told her. She winced when Beechnose applied a poultice to her wounds. "Besides, it was nothing real serious," she added.

"Nothing serious?" Beechnose scoffed. "Your wound is too deep to be 'nothing serious'. You are lucky this didn't get infected right away."

Iceshadow flinched at the thought. This was all Silverstar's fault! All that she-cat had ever done was cause pain to the Clans, even when she was dead. Iceshadow almost wished she could have inflicted more pain on Silverstar. The rotten leader would've deserved such treatment.

"Iceshadow, you're going to have to calm down," Beechnose warned her. "At this rate you'll lose more blood if you keep struggling."

She didn't even notice that she was struggling until Beechnose mentioned something. The medicine cat applied cobwebs to the wound, wrapping them around to help stop the bleeding. She was no medicine cat, but she was thankful Beechnose had enough patience for her.

"Thank you," she murmured when Beechnose was finished. She thought back to what Beechnose had said and held back a sigh of frustration. "Would it be crazy if I told you what really happened?" She knew that Beechnose would eventually tell Sandstar.

_But I have to get this off my chest somehow_, she thought.

"Of course not," Beechnose mewed after blinking in surprise. "As medicine cat it's my job to not only heal wounds, but also listen to the needs of others. If this is something you'd rather keep a secret than I will not tell anyone."

She looked at Beechnose doubtfully. But that need to trust someone suddenly began to overwhelm her. This was a secret she couldn't keep for long. And it would feel better if she told someone. With an intake of breath she took the chance and told Beechnose everything.

The medicine cat took in all of her story, from the beginning of before she had joined StreamClan to now. Beechnose seemed oddly quiet when Iceshadow was finally finished. Her heart was beating a mile a minute as she waited for Beechnose to say something.

"I always knew something was different about you," Beechnose finally murmured. Iceshadow's ears pricked forward with curiosity as the medicine cat shook her head. "From the moment you joined the Clan I had a feeling something was off. But you risked your life to stop the Dark Forest from attacking the Clans. That takes more courage than you will ever know," she added warily.

"I-I thought the Clan would hate me for what I did," Iceshadow admitted. Guilt stabbed her heart as she thought of what the Clan would say now.

"They might hate you now, but in the future they will see why it had to be done," the medicine cat told her reassuringly.

Iceshadow felt her fur prickling with unease. She didn't want the Clan to hate her. But there was no going back. Most of the Clan already didn't trust her. She doubted that she could easily gain their trust again after what was about to happen with Nightfeather.

Maybe this was what StarClan wanted. Maybe it was her job to deal with Nightfeather, and finish what she had started.

. . .

"Why are we out here?"

"It's getting late, we should go back."

Shadepelt's fur bristled with irritation. Fogheart and Cloudfeather were close behind him, keeping a wary watch on the borders. He knew that it was time to tell them the truth. Just days ago they had received their warrior names. That made him wonder if Icepaw had gotten her warrior name, if she was still alive.

She had joined StreamClan, and he couldn't help but wonder if she knew the truth behind her parentage. That was why Shadepelt had decided to take Fogheart and Cloudfeather out tonight. He needed to tell them before the same thing happened to them.

Icepaw couldn't handle the truth. Shadepelt couldn't blame her for running away. It was his fault for believing he could protect his kits from the truth. Not that he wanted to keep it from them. But the Clan would treat them differently if they found out. That was why he had kept it a secret for so long.

"Do you two know why we are out here tonight?" he asked as he turned to face them. Fogheart's eyes narrowed in confusion while Cloudfeather's tail lashed from side to side.

"We were supposed to patrol the borders," Cloudfeather replied, sounding annoyed.

"True, that is what we are supposed to be doing," Shadepelt sighed. How could he tell them without feeling the guilt that threatened to overwhelm him?

_Shadepelt_, _it's time to tell them_. He stiffened when a familiar voice whispered in his ears. _They will understand_.

"Can we go now?" Fogheart muttered.

"Fogheart, Cloudfeather, there's something that I must tell you," he meowed. It felt as though a lump had formed in his throat. Both young cats stared at him in surprise as he continued, "I don't know how to say this without making things worse... do you know who your father is?"

The two exchanged nervous looks. Poppyfoot was the one who had cared for them. He doubted she had told them who their father was.

"Poppyfoot told us he died fighting for the Clan," Cloudfeather told him. "And mother shortly after."

He flinched when he realized how much of a lie Poppyfoot had told them. "Part of that is true," he murmured in a gentle tone. "Look, your mother died giving birth to you."

"That's not what Poppyfoot told us," Fogheart growled.

"She lied to protect you from the truth," Shadepelt explained. His voice suddenly got shaky as he went on, "Your mother was from StreamClan. She was... _is_ the most beautiful cat I have ever seen."

Realization finally seemed to dawn on the young cats. Cloudfeather opened her mouth like she was going to say something, than she closed it shut. Fogheart's pelt began to bristle with anger and confusion.

"Does that mean you are... our father?" Cloudfeather asked warily.

"Yes," Shadepelt replied. "I wanted you to be raised as normal kits, so that you wouldn't have to live with what happened to your... mother."

Grief threatened to overwhelm him as he thought of Frostwing. He couldn't let this get to him. Not when there was so much at stake. Right now his kits looked like they were ready to panic. He needed time to comfort them and explain why everything happened the way it did.

"That's why Icepaw left the Clan!" Fogheart spat. "You've been lying to us and the Clans this whole time!" Shadepelt was about to say something when the younger tom suddenly lashed out with his claws. Cloudfeather let out a cry of shock when Shadepelt was pinned to the ground.

"Fogheart, stop!" Cloudfeather raced over to his side as Fogheart began clawing at Shadepelt relentlessly. Pain seared through him, but Shadepelt didn't care.

_I deserve this for what I did to them_, he thought bitterly.

Suddenly all the weight was pried off of him. Shadepelt blinked in surprise when he realized that Fogheart had stopped. The gray and white tom was staring at nothing with wide, scared eyes. It took him a few heartbeats to recognize what Fogheart was staring at.

_Frostwing_? Groggily Shadepelt stood up, ignoring the stinging wounds Fogheart had inflicted on him. Sure enough her pale image stood between Fogheart and Shadepelt. Cloudfeather stood at the side, pelt standing on end as she realized what was happening.

"Kits, please don't do this." Frostwing's voice came out loud and clear. Shadepelt stared at her in disbelief. Was this StarClan's doing? Or was this just a dream? "I know you are angry, and you have every right to be. But please do not take your anger out on your father."

"Is it... is it true than?" Cloudfeather whispered.

"It is," Frostwing replied. Her voice suddenly grew soft as she looked at her two kits. "No matter what choices you have made or will make, know that I will always love you. You are my kits, and nothing will ever change that."

"Frostwing, I..." Shadepelt swallowed the grief that threatened to overwhelm him once more. She turned to face him.

"And I will always love you, Shadepelt," she whispered.

"Always," he rasped.

In a heartbeat her pale image began to fade. Shadepelt knew that this wasn't a dream. The pain he felt was all too real. But it was a good kind of pain. He hoped that in time his kits would forgive him for what he had done.

But more importantly, he hoped that one day they could be an actual family.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: That scene with Shadepelt pretty much wraps things up with him and his kits. I know a lot was left out with how he would tell Iceshadow, but since she already figured it out he doesn't need to tell her. And a big thanks to Willowdream of ForestClan for reviewing!<strong>


	27. Chapter Twenty Six

"**Oh God, my God I seek You, I wanna move when You move, You're more than I could long for I thirst for You, You're an ocean to my soul, To my soul, Your love is like a waterfall**, **waterfall, Running wild and free You hear my heart when I call, when I call, Deep calls, too deep, Your love is like a waterfall, waterfa****ll...**" Waterfall, Chris Tomlin

* * *

><p>Chapter 26<p>

It was early morning when Iceshadow finally woke up. The wounds Silverstar had inflicted were now just a dull pain. Her mind was whirling with anxiety as she thought of what would happen today. Or rather what would happen tonight.

She felt a shiver run down her spine at the thought. Tonight was when she would confront Nightfeather. The fight with Silverstar made her wonder if Nightfeather knew what her dead sister was up to. Surely Silverstar would have let her dear sister in on her plan?

"Congratulations, Shellfur!" Beechnose's purr caught Iceshadow's attention. She was still in the medicine cat's den after having to recover from such serious injuries. Luckily Beechnose hadn't told Sandstar what really happened. She simply told him that Iceshadow would need time to recover. "You're expecting kits!"

"Really? Oh Leafclaw will be ecstatic!" Shellfur exclaimed.

"Make sure you move to the nursery right away," Beechnose instructed. "I don't want your kits getting hurt if anything were to happen." Shellfur simply nodded in understanding before rushing out of the den, happy as any future queen would be.

Any future queen. Iceshadow wondered if she would have such a future. She couldn't imagine herself having kits. At one point in her life she might have thought of it. But when it came to her powers she wasn't even sure if it would be safe to have kits.

_It's not like any tom has ever shown love for me_, she thought with a roll of her eyes. Even if they did she would just push them away. She didn't have time for love. Right now she had to focus on what lay ahead of her. And that was making sure Nightfeather and her rogues were stopped from taking over the Clans.

"More kits is wonderful news," Beechnose sighed as she turned to organize her store of herbs. Just moments before Shellfur had stopped by, Ivykit and Swirlkit tried exploring the medicine cat's den. Of course Beechnose had to shoo them away, but they had already messed up her herbs.

"You mean more kits to ruin your store of herbs," Iceshadow pointed out in a purr of amusement. Beechnose flicked her tail over Iceshadow's ears.

"Those kits need to become apprentices soon," she muttered. "At this rate they'll be taking any herbs I have left, and I need them for this coming leafbare."

Iceshadow could understand why Ivykit and Swirlkit were the way they were. They were the only kits in the nursery. With no one to play with they had to get bored during the day. She remembered having plenty of denmates to play with when she was a kit. It was a great way to pass the time.

"Have you ever thought of taking any of them as your apprentice?" Iceshadow asked. The medicine cat looked at her thoughtfully. Beechnose was old for a medicine cat. The gray along her muzzle proved that. Iceshadow hated to admit that she would need an apprentice soon, considering how skilled she was as a medicine cat.

"Neither of them show signs of becoming a medicine cat," she explained. "It isn't an easy path to tread. Medicine cats are not allowed to have kits, and it takes moons of training to become a full medicine cat."

She had never thought of that. It made her wonder why anyone would want to become a medicine cat. Than again there were cats like her who didn't want kits. She supposed having the skills and knowledge necessary would come in time.

"What made you decide to become a medicine cat?" she suddenly asked. Beechnose went on organizing her store of herbs, but she seemed happy to chat about her life. It was a good way for Iceshadow to distract herself from what was to come tonight.

"When I was a kit I always showed interest in herbs," Beechnose replied. "My mentor, Thorntail, saw that I had the makings of a medicine cat. Though my mother never really approved my choice - I often had to sneak out to see him. One day he just asked if I would like to become his apprentice, and I simply said yes."

That made sense. Iceshadow almost wished that life were always that easy. She wouldn't be in the mess she was now. Than again life would be very boring if it were that easy. Despite the trouble she was in now she loved the sense of adventure.

"Thank you," she murmured. When Beechnose looked at her in surprise she quickly explained, "For understanding me when no one else could. I... I really appreciate that."

Beechnose simply let out a purr before resting her muzzle on Iceshadow's forehead. "As a medicine cat I will always understand the trouble others are in," she meowed. "But as a friend I will always respect the choices others make."

For the first time Iceshadow realized that Beechnose looked at her as a friend rather than a Clanmate. It was strange to think about, but it warmed her heart to notice this. At least a few cats trusted her enough to stay in the Clan.

She rested her head on her paws as she waited for night to arrive. For now she would rest. She was going to need the energy to take down Nightfeather and all of her rogues. She didn't want the Clan risking their lives for something she had started.

. . .

The valley was eerily silent as a blanket of darkness fell upon it. Iceshadow's eyes blinked open when she noticed that Beechnose was fast asleep. The medicine cat was curled up in her own nest not far away from Iceshadow.

She took a deep breath before slipping through the frond of reeds surrounding the den. The pain that followed made her wince as she trudged forward. Her wounds weren't fully healed. And she was going out to stop a group of rogues from taking over the valley.

Was it a mousebrained idea? Probably. But she didn't have much of a choice. She had already decided her fate the moment she froze Silverstar. She was willing to die for a Clan that didn't even trust her.

Carefully she padded across the sandy terrain, weaving her way through the reeds. At one point she had to jump over a stream in order to get out of the reeds. And great StarClan there were tons of reeds here! She wondered where they had all come from. Or why so many were needed.

Although the reeds could be used for spying if she could creep up to Nightfeather. The idea began to worm it's way into her mind. Iceshadow flicked her tail from side to side as she padded on. It was the perfect idea. Nightfeather would never know she was watching her, waiting for the right chance to strike.

Sure enough it didn't take her long to reach what looked like a clearing. Iceshadow dropped to a crouch as she peered through the reeds. It was the same clearing where she and Nightfeather had first met. She picked up their familiar scents and bristled with annoyance.

_They're still meeting here_, she realized.

"Dawnpaw, your little trick with Mudwhisker worked perfectly," came the purr of Nightfeather.

"This isn't right," Dawnpaw murmured. Her voice was heavy with emotion as she looked off into the distance. Before Dawnpaw could say anything else, Nightfeather suddenly lashed out at her with unsheathed claws. The blow sent the apprentice flying, and Iceshadow couldn't help but wince.

Why was she following Nightfeather around if she was treated so cruelly? Blackstripe had tried doing the same thing to her just days ago. And Iceshadow retaliated by fighting back, not whimpering in pain like a nervous mouse.

"You would be dead if I hadn't rescued you!" Nightfeather spat. "Just remember that I could easily send you back to the Clans. I'm sure they'd love to end your miserable life."

Now Iceshadow understood. Nightfeather was controlling Dawnpaw with fear. The apprentice was afraid the Clans would never forgive her for running away. So she sided with Nightfeather to have at least one strong companion. It was a mousebrained choice, one that would eventually lead to her death.

Soon Bruce and Thalia joined Nightfeather, along with a few other rogues that Iceshadow didn't recognize. She felt her stomach lurch when she caught sight of Bruce. Did he know how dangerous Nightfeather really was? Did he even care what she was doing to the Clans?

She cast aside those strong emotions. Right now she needed to focus on the task ahead. And that was to finish Nightfeather before she attacked the Clans.

"Where is Ice?" Bruce's question made all the rogues look at him in surprise. Nightfeather simply narrowed her eyes and looked over her shoulder.

"She's right behind us," the black and silver tabby replied.

Iceshadow stiffened when she felt all eyes on her. Bruce's hackles rose as she stepped out, trying to play it cool. Now was not the time to show fear. Nightfeather would know something was up if she spotted something out of place.

"Well, I believe that we are ready to strike," Nightfeather announced. "Tonight is when we take down the Clans, once and for all!"

_Attack her now_! A voice was screaming in Iceshadow's ears. She didn't recognize the voice, but pure instinct kicked in. Nightfeather let out a hiss of surprise when Iceshadow barreled into her, pinning the lithe she-cat to the ground. Nightfeather was quick to kick her off with her hind paws, and Iceshadow couldn't help but wince as she landed on her back.

"Traitor!" Thalia screeched.

Nightfeather didn't waste any time in fighting back. Her claws left deep scores across Iceshadow's muzzle as she struggled to her paws. Iceshadow bit back a hiss of fury when Nightfeather started running circles around her. The rogues weren't even bothering to join their leader. It seemed Nightfeather had this all taken care of.

That was until Iceshadow decided to freeze the ground beneath her. Nightfeather yelped in surprise when she slipped on the ice. Iceshadow used this to her advantage and pummeled the black and silver tabby with her claws, making sure she inflicted as much damage as possible. She jumped aside just in time. Nightfeather struggled to her paws, using her claws to keep a grip on the ice.

"So you finally learned how to use your powers, weak fool," she sneered. "It's a good thing you have them; you'd be dead without them." Iceshadow was about to spit something in response, but she stopped herself.

_Don't let her get to you_, she reminded herself. Iceshadow suddenly swept her paw underneath Nightfeather's legs, and the she-cat tripped over the ice once more. Nightfeather scowled when she realized Iceshadow had the advantage. _Not so tough now are we_?

What happened next was a blur to Iceshadow. One moment she was standing firmly on her paws, and the next, she was swept off of them. Nightfeather had her pinned to the ground, digging her claws along Iceshadow's shoulders as she struggled to free herself.

"I will make you suffer for what you have done," she spat.

Iceshadow's eyes flashed with anger as she locked gazes with Nightfeather. "You already have," she muttered under her breath.

Nightfeather grinned, revealing red-stained teeth. Iceshadow flinched from the sight, and the putrid breath.

The former deputy never had a chance to deliver a killing blow. Her claws were raised as she aimed for Iceshadow's neck. But in a heartbeat she was pried off. Nightfeather let out a screech of fury that was cut short.

It took Iceshadow a few heartbeats to realize what was going on. She blinked away the blurry vision, eyes widening when she saw Tallwhisker standing over Nightfeather's still body. The long-legged warrior looked exhausted as he stepped away.

"Tallwhisker, how..." Iceshadow dropped her gaze when he looked at her warily.

"Beechnose told me that you might be up to something," he explained. "Looks to me like she was right." With a flick of his tail more StreamClan warriors emerged from the bed of reeds that stood behind them.

"You rogues do not belong here," Sandstar spat as he joined the senior warrior. "Get lost before I decide to kill you as well."

The rogues exchanged horrified looks. Iceshadow wondered what Nightfeather had promised them if they were successful. More territory or possibly protection against bigger enemies. She had a feeling it was something she shouldn't know. In a matter of heartbeats they left the clearing. All of them except for Dawnpaw.

Sandstar gazed at her warily as she stepped forward. The fear in her eyes was obvious. Iceshadow couldn't help but feel sorry for the apprentice. If she had stayed in FireClan than she would be a warrior by now. But she had chosen to flee with Nightfeather. Would her old Clanmates accept her?

"Why did you not run away?" Sandstar demanded, his voice cold as ice.

Dawnpaw stared at him in alarm before dipping her head in respect. "I am... Sorry for trespassing," she began. "I didn't know what I was doing when I followed Nightfeather. And I don't know if my Clan will forgive me for what I did." She bowed her head in shame as if to prove her point.

Sandstar exchanged a startled look with Tallwhisker. Did Dawnpaw expect them to let her join the Clan, just like that?

"You should be taken to Flowerstar, I'm sure she can think of a proper punishment for you," Sandstar growled.

The apprentice blinked in surprise. Iceshadow wondered if Dawnpaw knew that Flowerstar was FireClan's leader now. From what she gathered Dawnpas had not been part of the Clan for moons now.

"I think I'd like that," Dawnpaw suddenly mewed. "If someone would please escort me; I don't think the Clan would take kindly to a rogue trespassing."

Everything seemed calm at the moment. Iceshadow held back a gasp when her legs gave out beneath her. Tallwhisker and Creekfeather were at her side in a heartbeat. The wounds Nightfeather had inflicted were beginning to sting. During the rush of battle Iceshadow hadn't even felt them.

"We need to take you to Beechnose," Tallwhisker ordered.

"I'm fine," she muttered, brushing them off with a shrug. Tallwhisker's glare told her he didn't believe her one bit. "I'll be fine," she added.

"Sure you will," Creekfeather meowed with a roll of her eyes. "Come on furball, I'll take you."

Iceshadow was about to argue when she though better of it. Creekfeather was only worried about her health, like any good friend would be. She just held back a sigh of frustration and let Creekfeather lead her. This would make an interesting story for Beechnose.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So half of this chapter was typed on my iPad. I apologize if the format looks different, or if there are any spelling errors. Thank you Willowdream of ForestClan and Cookies and Cream for reviewing! Only two more chapters left before this is finished :)<strong>


	28. Chapter Twenty Seven

"**Well, the past is playing with my head, And failure knocks me down again, I'm reminded of the wrong, That I have said and done, And that devil just won't let me forget In this life, I know what I've been, But here in your arms, I know what I am I'm forgiven, And I don't have to carry, The weight of who I've been, 'Cause I'm forgiven...**" Forgiven, Sanctus Real

* * *

><p>Chapter 27<p>

Fear and uncertainty clouded her thoughts. All around her looks of hate were thrown in her direction. These cats had come to know and fear the ones that had followed Nightfeather. And she couldn't blame them for their anger. They had every right to hate her for what she had done.

_I killed their Clanmate_, she thought bitterly. _All because I was stupid and afraid_. Her claws scored deep marks in the sand as more cats emerged from their dens. She was back in StreamClan's camp, waiting to see who would be her escort.

By now most of the Clan had discovered what happened just hours ago. Ice, or whatever her name was, had nearly given her life to stop Nightfeather. It was a brave and stupid move she had made. Luckily her Clanmates seemed to know what she was up to, and followed her. Now Ice was getting treatment for her wounds, while she sat in the middle of the clearing and waited.

"What is _that_ doing here?" Dawnpaw flinched when she recognized Leafpaw's voice. Or was he a warrior now? She had a feeling he would be considering how much time had passed. It felt like moons since she last saw the Clans. And it really had been moons.

"That rogue asked to be taken to her Clan," Sandstar replied in a firm voice. Dawnpaw was amazed that he was still alive. He was leader even before she had become an apprentice. So by now he had to be on his last life. "I have agreed to send an escort out with her."

Almost at once arguments spread throughout the clearing. The intense hate that followed made Dawnpaw almost wish that Nightfeather had killed her that evening. Just thinking of the former deputy sent painful memories back.

Nightfeather had been her mentor. Dawnpaw had struggled throughout most of her apprenticeship to gain Nightfeather's approval. And even than it was almost impossible. Nightfeather was a tough deputy and mentor. At the time Dawnpaw looked up to her for that.

Eventually though Dawnpaw began to see a change in Nightfeather. She changed as soon as Silverstar became leader. Her attitude became much more hostile towards those around her. Dawnpaw knew that she never trusted other cats aside from her sister.

When Silverstar was killed Nightfeather and the rest of the rogues had fled from the valley. Dawnpaw chose to run with them. She was afraid of what the Clan would think when they found out how much she had followed Nightfeather. They would never trust her with kits or the elders.

"She's one of the rogues, we shouldn't trust her," growled Crowflight. Dawnpaw remembered him from the previous Gatherings she had attended moons ago. He was still as grumpy as ever.

"I say we toss her out and let her fend for herself!" spat Runningstream.

"No." Dawnpaw's ears pricked forward. She recognized Brightflower's mew. The dark ginger she-cat had been outside the nursery when the kits were kidnapped. Dawnpaw remembered that day all too well. "Her Clan deserves to know that she is alive." Brightflower shot her a look that sent shivers down Dawnpaw's spine.

It wasn't a look of hatred. It was a look of forgiveness.

"Brightflower, would you like to be her escort?" Sandstar looked just as surprised as Dawnpaw felt. When she dipped her head in response, Sandstar flicked an ear. Dawnpaw couldn't help but wonder why Brightflower was being so friendly. Surely she of all cats would hate her the most.

_I helped steal her kits and almost watched them die_. _Yet they all seem forgiving_. All of the regret she had felt moons ago suddenly returned in a wave. Dawnpaw flinched as she remembered everything she had done. All of the pain she had helped inflict on the Clans.

The dark ginger she-cat padded over to Dawnpaw's side. Instinctively she stiffened. Any time Nightfeather did that she would strike the younger cat for disobeying rules. Or just for the fun of it. Nightfeather had always enjoyed scaring younger cats.

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you," Brightflower reassured her. Dawnpaw's ears flattened at the words, but she dared not say anything.

She simply bowed her head and followed Brightflower as the senior warrior led the way. The journey would feel painfully slow. She already knew what would lie ahead of her the moment they crossed the border. Either the Clan would accept her or kill her on sight.

They remained silent as they padded on. Dawnpaw couldn't help but feel thankful for that. It gave her time to think over what she would say to her old Clan. She wondered what her brother was up to, or her mother and father.

_So much has changed since I was gone_, she thought. Flowerspot was now leader of FireClan. She had even heard rumors that there was a new Clan in the valley known as SunClan. They lived alongside MoonClan and FireClan. She wondered how the borders had even been established.

Soon the sandy ground gave way to dirt. Dawnpaw relished the feeling between her paws. The forest floor was always too soft for her liking, and covered in pine needles where she had lived. And StreamClan's territory was covered in sand and moist soil.

This felt like home. Already she could picture herself hunting alongside her Clanmates like she used to. Memories of training alongside her brother kept haunting her. Was Russetpaw a warrior now? What would his warrior name be?

Her ears pricked forward when she caught the sounds of pawsteps approaching them. Living on her own had given her keen senses. She had to use them in order to survive. Of course Nightfeather's training had helped at some extent. Though she would never want to admit that.

_She is dead_! Dawnpaw reminded herself. _Stop thinking about her and move on in life_!

"What's a StreamClan cat doing across the border?" Dawnpaw felt her blood run cold when she recognized Crispleaf's voice. The silver tabby had never really liked her, even before she had fled with Nightfeather.

"We only wish to speak with Flowerstar," Brightflower replied. It looked like she was trying to stay calm. Crispleaf eyed them both warily. Dawnpaw avoided her gaze, unsure what the older cat would say if she recognized her. Dawnpaw flinched as more cats followed Crispleaf out of the bushes that covered FireClan's territory.

FireClan was known for hunting out in the open. But every now and than there were spaces in the territory where bushes would grow. These sparse bushes were popular hunting areas. Rabbits and mice liked to hide underneath them.

"D-Dawnpaw?" Now her fur was bristling slightly when she looked up. Tawnywing stood beside Crispleaf, eyes wide with shock as she saw her daughter. Darkfang was standing beside her, looking more irritated than anything else. "How are you still alive? We thought you had..." Tawnywing stopped herself from saying the words, and chills swept down Dawnpaw's spine.

_You thought I was dead_, she realized.

"What's going on here? We held vigil for this cat, she should be dead," Darkfang hissed. Crispleaf muttered something under her breath; Dawnpaw had no doubt that she was agreeing with him.

In a heartbeat Tawnywing whipped around and pinned Darkfang to the ground. Dawnpaw just stood there, rigid with shock as Tawnywing glared at the younger cat.

"That cat is my daughter!" she spat. She glanced over at Dawnpaw, eyes dark with concern. "Dawnpaw, what happened to you?" Her voice was wary as she let the younger warrior up. Darkfang was still glaring at her while Dawnpaw struggled for an answer.

"I believe this is a matter that should be discussed with your leader," Brightflower meowed. She seemed indifferent by what just happened. How could she stay so calm during moments like this? Right now all Dawnpaw could do was sit there and stare.

"Brightflower is right, as much as I hate to admit it," Crispleaf muttered. "Are you coming with us?" She looked back at Brightflower, and the dark ginger she-cat nodded in response. "Very well. This patrol just got more interesting," she added in a sigh of annoyance.

Dawnpaw tried not to look annoyed as she followed them at the tail end of the group. Brightflower was behind Darkfang while Crispleaf took the lead. Tawnywing was right in front of Dawnpaw, glancing over her shoulder every now and than warily.

She was sure her mother had hundreds of questions to ask her. Like where she had disappeared to all those moons ago. Or why she had followed Nightfeather all those times, when she could have easily turned her mentor's offer down.

Familiar scents began to flood Dawnpaw's lungs as she breathed them in. She felt her heart soar the closer they got. Despite the overwhelming fear she had felt earlier, she had some sense of hope. The patrol did not turn her down when Brightflower asked to speak with Flowerstar.

When they reached the camp Dawnpaw closed her eyes. The clearing looked so different from what she remembered. At the time when she was in the Clan, Silverstar used the tunnels as their camp. So Dawnpaw had very few memories of this clearing.

"What are these two doing here?" In a heartbeat Dawnpaw recognized Pinefrost. The dark gray tom's icy blue eyes widened in shock when he recognized Dawnpaw. Crispleaf quickly explained what was going on, and his eyes lit up with understanding. "Flowerstar was just helping me patch up the elder's den, I'll bring her out," he meowed.

Brightflower sat down beside Dawnpaw as more and more cats emerged from their dens. To the left was what Dawnpaw guessed was the warrior's den. She could see Spidergaze, Cinderlight and Whitepelt peering out of the den as the news of their arrival spread.

Moments later and Flowerstar was approaching them with Pinefrost at her side. Dawnpaw couldn't help but look down at her paws. The FireClan leader seemed perfectly calm with the news she'd just heard. Shouldn't she be angry or at least wary?

"We should speak in my den, it will be more private," the dappled tortoiseshell explained before Brightflower could explain herself. Brightflower's eyes flashed for a brief moment with annoyance before nodding in agreement once more.

Reluctantly Dawnpaw followed. More and more cats were staring at her. She could feel all of their questioning eyes. They were probably wondering what the traitor was doing back in their camp. Or they were wondering when she would run away again like the coward she was.

"I apologize for barging in like this," Brightflower meowed as they reached the den. It was covered in stones. Dawnpaw had slight memories of hiding in the den when she was just a kit. She pictured herself crouching beside Russetpaw, waiting to get caught by their mother.

"It's not a problem," Flowerstar replied with a wave of her tail. "Now I'd like to know what's going on." She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully as Brightflower explained the situation.

"You see, a few moons ago we were having trouble with rogues," Brightflower began. "It turned out that the rogues were being led by Nightfeather." Dawnpaw couldn't help but flinch at the name. "She was planning on taking over the Clans with these rogues, and Dawnpaw was part of their group." When Flowerstar looked at her questioningly, Dawnpaw knew it was time to explain herself.

With a sigh she quickly told her tale of what had happened. Flowerstar didn't even look surprised when Dawnpaw explained how abusive Nightfeather was as a mentor. Dawnpaw found herself thinking over it again, realizing just how scared she really was during the battle against Silverstar.

"I understand," Flowerstar suddenly murmured. "You were afraid of what Nightfeather might do to you, and the Clan." Dawnpaw looked at Flowerstar in disbelief. "You would be amazed at how forgiving we can be now," she added, voice softening a little. "I believe you redeemed yourself already."

This time the hope Dawnpaw had felt earlier returned in a rush. Flowerstar rose to her paws and padded out of the den, leaving the two of them behind.

"I... I don't know what to say," Dawnpaw whispered.

"Your Clan must have missed you," Brightflower said in a reassuring tone. Dawnpaw quickly shrugged the comment off. No, there was more to it than that.

Flowerstar was nothing like Silverstar. She was kind and caring towards the Clan. And maybe, just maybe, she believed in second chances.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the StonePile for a Clan meeting!" Dawnpaw nearly leaped out of her fur when she heard Flowerstar's commanding yowl. She exchanged a wary look with Brightflower before padding out of the den. "As many of you know by now, we have an old friend among us."

Dawnpaw winced at the term 'old friend'. She was older now. She had more experience since she first did as a new apprentice. But to think that she was this old made her almost wish she was just becoming an apprentice again.

Almost at once murmurs began to spread throughout the crowd. Dawnpaw stared at Russetpaw, dropping her gaze when he glared. He probably thought that she had abandoned him. And he had every right to feel that way.

"Dawnpaw has gone through many difficult trials in her life, and I believe it is time she has received her warrior name." Dawnpaw felt her heart nearly skip a beat. She glanced around to see everyone's response. "Dawnpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." The words were truer than Dawnpaw could ever imagine.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Dawnpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dawnfire. StarClan honors you of your courage and your spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of FireClan."

Dawnfire closed her eyes as Flowerstar rested her muzzle on her forehead. Out of respect she gave the leader's shoulder a lick. She had gone through so much pain just to get to this point in her life. And finally she was a warrior.

"Dawnfire! Dawnfire!" The Clan cheered her new name.

She realized that they were all cheering. Embarrassment suddenly washed over her. The Clan had accepted her. She couldn't help but feel as though StarClan really was watching over her. Brightflower quickly rose to her paws when the ceremony was over.

"I suppose I'll leave than," she meowed.

"Brightflower, thank you for standing up for me," Dawnfire murmured. Brightflower blinked in surprise at her statement.

"Every cat deserves a second chance," she told her.

With that, she left the camp to rejoin her Clan. And Dawnfire was left to sit vigil for her new warrior name.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know that ending felt a little rushed, and a lot was left out. I might just write a one-shot about Dawnfire and how she copes with being part of the Clan again. And originally her name was going to be Dawnfrost, but I think Dawnfire is a much more fitting name for her :) A big thanks to Cookies and Cream and Willowdream of ForestClan for reviewing! Only one more chapter left!<strong>


	29. Chapter Twenty Eight

"**I fought all through the night, Oh, oh, but I made it alive, The sun's starting to rise, Oh, oh, these are beautiful times, This fight of my life is so hard, so hard, so hard, But I'm gonna survive, Oh, oh, these are beautiful times...**" Beautiful Times, Owl City

* * *

><p>Chapter 28<p>

"Your wounds are almost healed." Iceshadow held back a sigh of relief when Beechnose said that.

A moon had passed since her battle against Nightfeather and the rogues. She had heard from Brightflower that Dawnpaw was now a warrior known as Dawnfire. FireClan had accepted her as a warrior. It seemed as though most of the Clan had forgiven her.

Iceshadow on the other paw still had a lot of explaining to do. She knew it would take time for her to gain the Clan's trust again. Tallwhisker and Creekfeather among a few others had stood up for her. But Sandstar refused to believe them. So she was now doing whatever she could to gain Sandstar's trust again.

"Do you know who's going to the Gathering tonight?" she asked after taking a bite of the minnow she had taken. By now she had gotten used to the taste of fish. In fact she often found herself enjoying fish more than warm-blooded prey.

"Sandstar has not told me," Beechnose replied. "But I'm sure he'll make the announcement soon." Iceshadow dipped her head just to finish the small fresh-kill. She hadn't eaten all day, and it was already close to sunhigh.

Most of her days were spent either cleaning out the elder's den or helping Beechnose when she needed it. Blossomleaf's kits were going to be apprentices any day now, which meant apprentice duties could be taken away from the youngest warriors. And for once Iceshadow was grateful for that.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the Sandmound for a Clan meeting!" Sure enough Sandstar's yowl echoed throughout the camp. Iceshadow's ears pricked forward with interest. She peered outside the den to see that most of the Clan was already gathered. "Today marks a special day for the Clan. Naming apprentices means that our Clan will always remain strong."

_It's the kit's ceremony_! Iceshadow stepped out of the den, curiosity now sparking within her. She doubted Sandstar would choose her as a mentor. Not only was she a new warrior, but he still didn't trust her.

"Come forward you three." Sandstar flicked his tail, and the three kits in question stumbled forward with excitement. Their pelts were well groomed thanks to Blossomleaf. Iceshadow could see that she had to keep them from wriggling around in order to groom their fur. "Until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Ivypaw. Blazeleaf, you are ready for your first apprentice. You have shown great courage and battle skills, and I expect you to pass this on to Ivypaw."

Blazeleaf's eyes glowed with happiness as she touched noses with Ivypaw. Iceshadow held back a purr for the pair. Blazeleaf was a good cat; though she lacked in patience she made up for it in stamina and fighting.

"Swirlkit, until you have received your warrior name you will be known as Swirlpaw. Creekfeather, you are also ready for your first apprentice. You are both kind and compassionate towards the Clan, and I expect you to pass on what you have learned to Swirlpaw."

The pale gray she-cat looked more than ready to take on the hyper apprentice. Creekfeather herself was full of energy. Those two would make a good pair, though Iceshadow hoped that eventually Swirlpaw would calm down in age.

"Thistlekit, until you have received your warrior name you will be known as Thistlepaw. Dewspeck, you are ready for an apprentice. You are a skilled hunter and provide the Clan with protection, and I expect you to pass on your knowledge to Thistlepaw."

When the two touched noses the Clan looked at Sandstar expectantly. Iceshadow couldn't help but hold her breath. She was desperate to know who was going to the Gathering.

"I have also decided on who will be going to the Gathering tonight. Brightflower, Crowflight, Duskstorm, Leopardblaze, Sleetfur and Iceshadow will be going." Iceshadow's eyes widened in disbelief when she heard her own name.

"Sandstar, are you sure that's a good idea?" Sleetfur asked, eyes narrowed with annoyance. She glared pointedly at Iceshadow, who ignored the look. Sleetfur never had forgiven her for nearly killing her.

"My decision is final," Sandstar snapped. "If you don't like it than you can easily be replaced." The last word came out in a growl. Sleetfur's ears flattened and she backed down, not willing to risk her position in the Clan.

Iceshadow couldn't help but let out a triumphant purr. Maybe Sandstar _was_ beginning to trust her. When the meeting was over she was joined by Creekfeather. Swirlpaw was at her side, looking more than ready to explore the territory.

"Congratulations," Iceshadow mewed when Creekfeather ducked her head in embarrassment.

"I wasn't expecting it," she murmured. "But I'm going to teach Swirlpaw everything I know." She glanced over at the apprentice. Swirlpaw could barely stay on her paws. "And congratulations to you for going to your first Gathering as a warrior," she added in a purr.

"Now_ that_ was something I wasn't expecting," Iceshadow sighed. "I thought Sandstar didn't trust me."

"Well, maybe he's changed his mind," Creekfeather told her. "I suppose I should go - Swirlpaw's ready to leave without me."

Iceshadow held back a purr of laughter as Creekfeather ran after the apprentice. She was going to have her paws full with that one. Once the two were gone, Iceshadow decided to see if there was anything she could do before the Gathering.

_There's always something that needs to be done_, she reminded herself. But as she made her way over to Bramblepelt, she was stopped halfway by Weaselfang. Almost at once annoyance flared within her.

Weaselfang had always stood up for Sleetfur, even when she was the one causing trouble. Iceshadow never liked him, and she doubted she ever would. Though now instead of malice in his eyes like there usually was, she saw concern.

"Hey um... I was wondering if we could like... maybe talk somewhere?" he stammered. Surprise clouded Iceshadow's thoughts. What in StarClan's name got under his fur? Normally he was rude and stuck up like his sister. But now... she wasn't sure what to make of this.

Instead of telling him, she simply followed him further away from the clearing. Prying eyes might notice that they were actually talking. His reputation would go down the stream. Iceshadow tried not to roll her eyes at the thought. _What reputation_? she asked silently.

"So, what's on your mind this time?" If there was anything going on in that mind of his. Iceshadow knew better than to say that out loud. If this was some kind of trick she would freeze him on the spot. Even if it did get her into trouble it would feel good doing that.

"Look... I-I really don't know... how to say this," he stammered once more. "I-I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted... when we were apprentices, you know?" He added the last part with a shrug. Iceshadow tilted her head to one side, unsure what to do or say. "What I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry," he finally sighed.

For the first time since arriving in StreamClan, Iceshadow didn't know how to react. Weaselfang was... actually apologizing? Where in StarClan did _that_ come from? Surely he would rather hang out with his own friends than apologize to the 'traitor'. As Iceshadow leaned forward she noticed that he really was being honest.

"Thank you, Weaselfang," she murmured. "What made you decide to do this now?"

"Because what you did was really brave," he replied. "Yes it was stupid and mousebrained, but it was mostly brave. I didn't know you were capable of doing that."

Irritation suddenly crawled through Iceshadow's fur. So the only reason he was interested was because she had risked her life? Iceshadow struggled not to glare at him as she spoke, "Look, I am thankful you apologized, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to just forget what you said and did."

Weaselfang flinched, and for a moment Iceshadow almost regretted saying those words. But she wasn't going to let him get to her. With that being said, she stalked off and let him register what just happened.

_One day he'll understand_, she thought with a roll of her eyes.

. . .

Finally it was close to leaving time. Iceshadow had groomed her fur to make sure she at least looked like a warrior. After spending so many days in Beechnose's den she had stopped grooming her fur. But now it looked sleek and well kept. A few scars marked where she had fought Blackstripe, Silverstar and Nightfeather. Beechnose had told her that those scars would always be there now.

_Maybe that's a good thing_, she told herself. _It's like a reminder of what happened those days_.

Either way she knew the scars would impress some warriors. And raise questions in others. She hoped Sandstar would explain what had happened, if he had not already. Since the fight with Nightfeather there had already been one Gathering.

Iceshadow held back a sigh as she followed the group. She wondered who all from MoonClan would be there. It felt like seasons had passed since she saw any of them. Would they remember her? Or would they think she was a traitor for joining StreamClan? Iceshadow could only hope it was her first thought.

"What are you so worried about?" Crowflight trotted alongside her, tail twitching irritably as they weaved in and out of the reeds.

"Nothing in particular," she replied under her breath. Crowflight was one of the few cats she tolerated. He wasn't against her joining the Clan, but he had never stood up for her during the trials Sandstar held.

"This should be an interesting Gathering," he muttered.

Iceshadow nodded in agreement. So far she had heard nothing from the other Clans since Nightfeather was killed. Even the rogues had not made an appearance since that evening. She had often thought of Bruce and their first encounter.

Did he even know what Nightfeather was planning? He was so young and naive. Maybe at the time he thought she was just a strong leader who could keep him alive. Most of the rogues had seemed terrified when Nightfeather was killed. Their fearless leader was dead, and they had no one to protect them.

She shook her head and tried to cast the thoughts away. This wasn't the time to be thinking of that. Right now she wanted to focus on what lay ahead. This was her first Gathering as a warrior and StreamClan cat. Just knowing that made her fur crawl with excitement.

It didn't take them long to reach clearing with the Ancient Oak looming ahead. Iceshadow's ears pricked forward when she picked up MoonClan's scent. Her heart was beating a mile a second. The last time she attended a Gathering was with her siblings, when they were apprentices.

"Icepaw, is that really you?" She flinched when she recognized Fogpaw's familiar mew. Her brother looked much larger now, more like their father, with muscles rippling beneath his pelt as he approached her. Iceshadow swallowed back the grief that threatened to overwhelm her.

"Actually it's Iceshadow now," she replied. Did he think she died? Was that what the rest of MoonClan believed?

"And I'm known as Fog_heart_ now," he purred while puffing out his chest.

"Fogheart... I like it," Iceshadow murmured. For a moment she wondered if he knew the truth about their parents. "So what exactly happened when I left?" she asked after curiosity got the better of her.

"Oakstar and Poppyfoot thought that you were dead," Fogheart admitted under his breath. "When you disappeared Shadepelt kept leading patrols to find you." Iceshadow flinched. So Oakstar had given up on her. "We found out that Shadepelt's our father," he added warily. "And that... Frostwing is our mother." His voice dropped to a cold whisper.

"How did you find out?" At least they knew the truth. Iceshadow couldn't help but wonder how Shadepelt could keep such a secret. Or why he never felt any guilt for the secret he had kept.

"Shadepelt told us." Fogheart's voice suddenly became bitter. "He told us that his secret was what made you run away... Cloudfeather forgave him, but I never will. He lied to us to protect himself!"

Iceshadow's eyes lit up with understanding. Finally, someone else felt the same way as she did! She had never realized how similar she was to Fogheart.

"What happened to you?" Fogheart's question caught Iceshadow by surprise. She knew he would ask it sooner or later. But part of her was hoping she wouldn't have to explain how complex her life had gotten since leaving the Clan. With an intake of breath she quickly retold her story of what had happened, from before joining StreamClan up to now. She wasn't even sure how much time had passed since they started talking.

"I didn't know what to do when I found out the truth," she admitted after telling him about the dream she had of Frostwing. "I was scared, and after what happened with Petalpaw's nest, I couldn't stay. The Clan would've found out sooner or later that I was the one who did that."

They continued chatting throughout the night, catching up on the things they had missed. Iceshadow soon found out that Raincloud had moved to the nursery just a few days ago. No cat had questioned who the father of her kits were. She had never been very close to any tom in the Clan. The Clan itself was bustling with life.

_I'm glad things are finally patched up between us_, she thought when he joined his Clanmates. By now the rest of the Clans had arrived. Iceshadow was relieved when she spotted Dawnfire among the group of FireClan cats. She looked much stronger now since they had last met.

"I believe it is time for the Gathering to start." Flowerstar's mew rose above the warm conversations throughout the clearing. Iceshadow quickly joined her own Clanmates once she realized the Gathering was about to start. "Sandstar, would you like to begin?" She looked at the eldest leader, Sandstar.

"Yes, I would," he replied with a dip of his head. "StreamClan is thriving. We have three new apprentices, who could not make it tonight. Shellfur has also moved to the nursery just a few days ago, and she is expecting Leafclaw's kits." Purrs of approval followed his words. Kits were a blessing to any Clans. Once he was finished it was Oakstar's turn to speak.

"MoonClan is also thriving," he meowed. "Prey is plentiful, and we have two queens in the nursery expecting kits." He flashed Sandstar a challenging look. Iceshadow tried not to roll her eyes in annoyance. Oakstar really was more mousebrained than she thought.

"FireClan has done well this past moon," Flowerstar began. "One of our new warriors, Dawnfire, is with us right now." Murmurs of surprise rippled throughout the Clans as Dawnfire was put on the spotlight. Iceshadow couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Most cats were probably wondering why she had only just become a warrior when she looked moons older. She looked like she was close to Raincloud's age. "And we have three more warriors to welcome: Mapleshine, Sunnytail, Littleblaze and Falconwing are all here."

This time yowls of congratulations followed. Iceshadow noticed that Dawnfire didn't even looked annoyed that the Clans had ignored her. Instead she looked happy that they were cheering for her Clanmates.

"SunClan is also doing well," Floodstar meowed. His voice was full of pride as he spoke, "Rabbitpaw has received his full medicine cat name. He is now known as Rabbitleap."

"Rabbitleap! Rabbitleap!" Iceshadow joined in the cheering, knowing that any medicine cat deserved their full name.

That ended the Gathering. As the Clans left the clearing, Iceshadow found herself realizing just how precious life was. Just moons ago she was an apprentice striving to become a warrior. She didn't know that she would be here tonight, with a new Clan to call home. She did know that life would go on. No matter how painful life could be at times, there was always peace in the end. And right now, she had found her peace.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So there's the final chapter! Now, I'm not sure if there will be an epilogue, but I kind of like where this ended. I'm also not sure if the Legacy Series will continue or if it will stay as a trilogy. Still debating on that ^^" So big thanks to JinxTheLooseCannon, Cookies and Cream and Willowdream of ForestClan for reviewing! You guys are amazing despite my lack of updates, and I can't thank you enough for reviewing this story :D I'm now working on another story called Emberstar's Path. If you're interested you are more than welcome to check it out!<strong>


End file.
